Trump says Apache helicopter pilots safe after Hormuz incident
US President Donald Trump confirmed reports that a US Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz, saying the pilots were safely rescued.
“The pilots are fine … we are going to issue a report tomorrow, but the pilots are fine,” Trump told reporters.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that the helicopter had gone down for unknown reasons and that both crew members had been rescued.
Speaking to journalists as he departed New York, Trump also expressed confidence about ongoing negotiations with Iran.
“I think we’re … very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal,” he said.
Trump said that a negotiated agreement would be preferable to additional military action, saying, “If we do the bombing, you know a lot of people are going to be killed,” and added that economic pressure and a blockade had proven “much stronger than bombing” in pushing Tehran toward a deal.
Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at JFK Airport in New York, 9 June 2026 (Saul Loeb/AFP)
