Trump gives Iran 48 hours to open Strait of Hormuz as search continues for missing US pilot

President Donald Trump gave Iran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. military continued searching for a missing American pilot, according to AP and other outlets.

AP reported the ultimatum on April 4, saying the warning came as U.S. forces raced to find the missing crew member after a downed military aircraft. ABC News syndicated the same wire report, and The Washington Post later said the search was still under way.

Defense News also reported the continuing hunt for the missing pilot and repeated Trump's 48-hour warning over the strategic waterway. White House material from earlier this month said the administration's Iran campaign included pressure linked to the Strait of Hormuz, providing broader context for the warning.

The reporting available now is consistent on the core facts: Trump set a deadline, the U.S. continued the search, and the Strait of Hormuz remained central to the escalation. The public reports reviewed do not show a clear contradiction on those points.

It remains unclear whether the ultimatum was issued as a formal policy deadline or as a shorter public warning tied to earlier administration messaging. The status of the missing pilot was also not fully resolved in the sources reviewed.