White House press briefing amid two-week ceasefire with Iran

[0:01] I'm standing here. [0:31] I was going to say, I was like, oh no, I'm so sorry. [1:01] Okay. [1:03] What's up, buddy? [1:09] I can't. [1:13] I don't want to. [1:27] I don't know. [1:28] I don't know. [1:34] Okay. [1:35] When I asked, when I asked Kevin, he sent me an offer. [1:41] Because I have to do an application for the healer and they want to have a proof of my employment. [1:52] And I asked Kevin, hey, Kevin, who would you like to check people out when I get that? [1:59] I don't know. [2:00] I don't know. [2:01] We'll only go over the wall. [2:06] That's your picture. [2:11] You got it? [2:18] Who did it here? [2:24] I don't know. [2:26] I don't know. [2:28] I don't know. [2:30] I don't know. [2:32] I don't know. [2:34] Because we're checking. [2:36] We're checking. [2:38] Yeah. [2:40] I want to see some of that. [2:44] I want to see some of that. [2:46] Water. [2:48] Water. [2:50] There you go. [2:52] Yeah. [2:54] . [3:00] . [3:02] . [3:15] . [3:17] Do you want Port...? [3:21] Well, there's a little game of protection. [3:24] No, there's a problem. [3:27] He's busy with fire. [3:29] I told us a little problem. [3:30] Barney's in the corner, and he's looking out there. [3:34] I might have five. [3:35] You're running. [3:36] You're running. [3:37] You're running. [3:38] You're running. [3:39] You're running. [3:41] I took a speech from that, but I don't want to hear it. [3:46] Well, I'll say, every time you call me, I see your photo ID. [3:50] I see your photo ID, doing it. [3:52] Call me. [3:59] Call me. [4:00] Call me. [4:04] Call me. [4:08] Call me. [4:10] Call me. [4:12] Call me. [4:14] Bill. [4:16] Bill. [4:17] Bill. [4:18] Thank you. [4:51] Thank you. [5:21] Thank you. [5:51] Thank you. [6:21] Thank you. [6:51] Thank you. [7:21] Thank you. [7:51] Thank you. [8:21] Thank you. [8:23] Thank you. [8:25] Thank you. [8:27] Thank you. [8:31] Thank you. [9:02] Thank you. [9:32] Thank you. [10:04] Thank you. [10:06] Thank you. [10:08] Thank you. [10:10] Thank you. [10:12] Thank you. [10:14] Thank you. [10:16] Thank you. [10:18] Thank you. [10:24] Yeah. [10:26] Thank you. [10:28] Thank you. [10:30] Thank you. [10:32] Yeah. [10:37] Yeah. [10:39] There he is. [10:41] Yeah. [10:43] Yeah. [10:45] Yeah. [10:49] That's a little good question. [10:53] Yeah. [10:55] That's a little good question. [10:59] Yeah. [11:01] Yeah. [11:12] Yeah. [11:14] Let's just squeeze. [11:20] Yeah. [11:24] Yeah. [11:26] Yeah. [11:28] Yeah. [11:30] Oh, yeah, turn the board. [11:31] Yeah, turn the board. [11:33] Do you want it? [11:35] No, you can do that. [11:36] You can do that. [11:38] Yeah, yeah. [11:40] Yeah. [11:41] This is a corporation. [11:43] You're everything. [11:44] Yeah. [11:45] What do you want to know about it? [11:47] Let me give you this. [11:48] I think you're wearing ice. [11:50] Here it is. [11:51] I'm going to cut this. [11:53] You're coming. [11:54] I'm going to cut this. [11:55] I'm going to cut this. [11:59] Okay? [12:01] I'm going to cut this. [12:05] The spirit of cooperation. [12:07] I like your answer. [12:10] We have a guest packed room in here, you guys, and there's a lot we need to still learn from [12:15] the White House about what exactly Iran has put forward that the President feels is the [12:21] basis from which some negotiations can continue. [12:25] There has been a lot of reporting about what Iran may have been sticking to that appears [12:31] to be a conflict. [12:32] A lot of the President's red lines have been put in place to start all of this, including [12:38] the control of the strait and the future of Congress. [12:40] What do you need to hear from the White House? [12:42] What has been a way to do? [12:43] And also get their reaction to this news that just came across the wire that Iran is reportedly [12:49] disclosing the strait and control of the U.S. response during the attacks in Lebanon. [12:55] We've had this statement from the Iranians. [12:56] We've had this statement from the Iranians. [12:57] We've had this statement from the Iranians. [12:58] We've had this fire also applied to that fight. [13:01] He also put out words this morning in an interview in the network that perhaps the U.S. and Iran [13:14] have a joint venture control of the strait after Iran indicated that ships can pass through [13:20] and they're working in their military. [13:22] We need to know who were those ships locked with that already went to? [13:27] Who were they to clash with? [13:29] And does that represent really something that can give oil companies confidence enough [13:35] to move their ships through the strait? [13:36] We also know the President has a meeting today with the NATO Secretary-General, and he's [13:40] got a very tough mission today. [13:42] He's trying to talk to the President on the ledge. [13:44] He's been very critical to this alliance, given their hesitation to get into the fight and [13:50] really frustrated. [13:51] He's not going to go back. [13:52] He's criticisms of this alliance. [13:53] He neither has other institutions. [13:56] There's heard Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, indicating that potentially this alliance [14:01] may have run its course with futility if the U.S. is not going to get use out of the [14:07] bases that it may engage in Europe and other parts of the world, that it's a one-way street [14:12] potentially. [14:13] So Marco Rubio is here today to shore up that relationship with the President, and so far [14:18] it's still closed the press, but we always hope that something will open up. [14:22] But again, we'll get some clarity. [14:25] It's very good. [14:27] Oh, I will. [14:31] Sorry. [14:32] After chat. [14:33] I'm sorry. [14:35] After chat. [14:41] I'm sorry. [14:42] I'm sorry. [14:46] Thank you. [15:17] Thank you. [15:47] Thank you. [16:17] Thank you. [16:55] Thank you. [16:57] Thank you. [16:59] Thank you. [17:01] in [17:12] so [17:15] Come on, bro. [17:29] See, there you go. [17:35] Good tracks. [17:45] Thank you. [17:58] Thank you. [18:06] Thank you. [18:14] Thank you very much. [18:21] Thank you very much. [18:45] We got back to this car. [18:50] Oh, my God. [18:54] Oh, my God. [19:01] Oh, my God. [19:03] There we go. [19:07] Oh, my God. [19:14] Oh, my God. [19:19] Oh, my God. [19:26] Oh, my God. [19:28] Oh, my God. [19:32] Oh, my God. [19:41] Oh, my God. [19:45] It's not my turn. [20:15] It's not kind of doggy professional. [20:46] I totally agree. [20:48] I see it now. [20:50] That would all make sense. [20:56] Thank you. [20:58] Thank you. [21:02] Thank you. [21:06] Thank you. [21:08] Thank you. [21:10] Thank you. [21:12] Thank you. [21:14] Thank you. [21:16] It's her favorite thing. [21:20] Did you see that one? [21:22] I love that. [21:23] I love that. [21:41] Want to do it? [21:50] Thank you. [22:20] Thank you. [22:51] Thank you. [23:24] Thank you. [23:26] Thank you. [23:28] Thank you. [23:30] Thank you. [23:32] Thank you. [23:34] Thank you. [23:36] Thank you. [23:38] Thank you. [23:40] Thank you. [23:42] Thank you. [23:45] Thank you. [23:47] Thank you. [23:51] Thank you. [23:53] Thank you. [23:55] Thank you. [23:57] Thank you. [23:59] Thank you. [24:01] Thank you. [24:03] Thank you. [24:05] Thank you. [24:07] Thank you. [24:09] Thank you. [24:11] Thank you. [24:41] Thank you. [25:20] Thank you. [25:50] Thank you. [26:28] Thank you. [27:09] Thank you. [28:13] Thank you. [28:53] Thank you. [29:25] Thank you. [34:44] Thank you. [35:34] Thank you. [36:04] Thank you. [36:34] Thank you. [37:04] Thank you. [37:34] Thank you. [38:04] Thank you. [38:34] Thank you. [39:04] Thank you. [39:34] Thank you. [40:05] Thank you. [40:35] Thank you. [41:05] Thank you. [41:35] Thank you. [42:05] Thank you. [42:35] Thank you. [43:05] Thank you. [43:35] Thank you. [44:05] Thank you. [44:35] Thank you. [45:05] Thank you. [45:35] Thank you. [46:06] Thank you. [46:36] Thank you. [47:06] Thank you. [47:36] Thank you. [48:06] Thank you. [48:36] Thank you. [49:06] Thank you. [49:37] Thank you. [50:08] Thank you. [50:39] Thank you. [51:09] Thank you. [51:39] Thank you. [52:09] Thank you. [52:39] Thank you. [52:40] Thank you. [53:10] Thank you. [53:11] Thank you. [53:12] Thank you. [53:13] Thank you. [53:43] Thank you. [53:44] Thank you. [53:45] Thank you. [53:48] thank you. [53:53] Thank you. [53:53] Thank you. [53:55] You're going to have fair it all for [53:55] today. [53:55] Thank you. [53:57] Thank you. [53:58] Thank you. [53:58] Do you have to go yet. [53:59] You're on the spot of most onun [54:01] anime issues. [54:01] We are celibacy. [54:01] You have to return home only is this [54:02] no one year ago. [54:02] You have to retirol quiz it out. [54:03] going to back away from. And he's committed to ensuring that takes place. We hope it will [54:08] be through diplomacy. But have they given any indication that they would turn it over? [54:12] They have. They have. Yes. Trevor. The latest news out of Iran is that the air defenses have [54:17] been activated in several cities, including Isfahan, and that explosions have been hurt in [54:22] Isfahan. Who is bombing Iran right now? Were those reports just as of a few minutes ago? [54:28] Yeah. Okay. So obviously I'll have to go back and check with the national security team. I'm [54:32] standing out here with all of you. But I will do that and we will get you an answer. Okay? [54:36] Just on the civilization question that we've been talking about. [54:40] And I would just add to that point. Again, I haven't seen these reports. I'm not verifying them. [54:44] Not that I don't trust you, Trevor, but I want to go back and check with the experts here at the White [54:48] House. I would just say, and I would echo what the vice president said this morning. This is a fragile [54:53] truce. Ceasefires are fragile by nature. We've seen this with respect to the 12-day war with Iran and [54:58] Israel last year. It takes time sometimes for these ceasefires to be fully effectuated. And one [55:04] of the results of Operation Epic Fury was we completely dismantled Iran's command and control [55:09] center, which makes it difficult for them to pass messages up and down the chain. And so we [55:14] understand that. I would caution a little bit of patience. But of course, we want to see the ceasefire [55:19] effectuated and abided by by all parties as quickly as possible. [55:23] Thank you. And the American presidential administrations, going back to Ronald Reagan, [55:27] have said this formulation about nuclear war, that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never [55:32] be fought. Is that still the view of this administration, given the president's comments [55:36] about civilization? [55:37] I have no change in our view on that policy. [55:39] Katie. [55:40] Thanks, Caroline. I'm just given the gravity of what he said yesterday. What was your understanding [55:46] of what he meant when he said, I'm this civilization is going to be eliminated? [55:51] I think it was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States [55:55] that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to reopening the [56:02] Strait of Hormuz. So it was a very strong threat that led to results. And as the secretary of war [56:06] stated at the Pentagon this morning, it was not an empty threat by any means. The Pentagon had a [56:13] target list that they were ready to hit go on at 8 p.m. last night if the Iranian regime had not [56:19] agreed to open the strait, which they did. And I think that's something we should all be grateful [56:23] for. [56:23] The United States is a moral leader in the world, given that he's... [56:26] I was asked this exact same question by your colleague, Andrew, in the back. And I think, [56:29] again, the insinuation by anyone in this room that Iran somehow has the moral high ground over [56:35] the United States of America is insulting, considering the atrocities that they have... [56:39] Considering the atrocities that they have committed against our people and our military over the [56:44] past five decades. John. John, go ahead. [56:48] Thanks a lot, Caroline. Two questions for you. One has to do with a statement, a joint statement [56:53] put out this morning by some of America's European allies, our NATO allies. And in that joint statement, [56:59] they said regarding the Strait of Hormuz, our governments will contribute to ensuring freedom [57:05] of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. What's the administration's reaction to that joint [57:10] statement? Does that smooth things over when the president meets with NATO's secretary general [57:15] a little bit later this afternoon? I have a direct quote from the president of the United States [57:19] on NATO, and I will share it with all of you. They were tested and they failed. And I would add, [57:25] it's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six [57:28] weeks when it's the American people who have been defunding their defense. As you know, [57:33] President Trump will be meeting with Secretary Ruta in a couple of hours here at the White [57:37] House. And I know he looks forward to having a very frank and candid conversation with him. [57:41] And then secondly, in regards to this conflict, 38 days, as you pointed out, [57:46] President Trump has said that there's been regime change. Has that regime change led to more freedoms [57:53] for the Iranian people? I think that's a question that's being asked a little bit too early, [57:58] John. And we hope that is the case. But it's something that has yet to be seen. [58:02] Caroline, on this question of tolling by the Iranians in the Strait of Hormuz, [58:09] I've heard you talk about a number of red lines that the president has in this negotiation, [58:13] but I haven't heard you say that Iranian tolling in the Strait of Hormuz is a red line. Would it [58:19] be acceptable to the United States at the end of all this if the Iranians are able to charge tolls [58:24] in the Strait of Hormuz? I think the president was very clear and simplistic in his language last [58:29] night in his true social post, where he said that this ceasefire is subject to the free, [58:35] safe and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. That's very plain language and it should [58:40] be taken at face value. [58:41] Does it really mean in charge? [58:43] Carrie, go ahead. Without limitation, including tolls, yes. Carrie. [58:47] A quick follow-up on the atollian. Why would the U.S. allow Iran to collect tolls [58:52] in the Strait of Hormuz? That's not something that we've opposed for a number of years now. [58:57] Again, that's not something we've said that we've definitively accepted. The joint venture [59:01] is something that was proposed by the president, but he was very clear in his statement last night. [59:06] He wants to see the Strait reopened immediately without limitation, and that's something we're [59:10] going to hold them to. [59:10] And a second question. [59:13] On family and friends in Iran, I myself am Iranian, and I've been talking to them through [59:17] the blackout. One of my family members yesterday said goodbye to me. So what message should we [59:23] be sending Iranians when they message me saying what should they be doing right now? How should [59:28] they stay safe? Because they really don't know what to do. [59:32] I think the president's main priority and my main priority as his spokeswoman is to make sure [59:37] that clear messages are sent to the American people, of course, which is my job today. [59:42] With respect to the Iranian people, the president, you know, has taken out the imminent threat that [59:47] was posed by their military to the United States, to our allies in the region, to our forces in the [59:52] region. And, of course, as the president has long said, he hopes that Iran will be a country [59:58] of peace, of prosperity, and we're moving into this next round of negotiations to hopefully [1:00:02] come to an agreement with this new regime that will create long-term stability in the Middle East. [1:00:09] We have said that they should stay inside of their homes and also take back their country. [1:00:14] So how there's a contradiction there. So how do you address that? [1:00:18] Again, we're moving into this next round of negotiations with the remnants of the regime [1:00:23] and those that we are speaking with now to hopefully reach a place of peace long-term for [1:00:28] the region. And that includes the Iranian people as well. In the blue. Go ahead. [1:00:33] Thank you. [1:00:34] The White House issued, posted the statement from the Iranian government that passage in [1:00:39] the strait will be coordinated with Iran's armed forces. As of today, who controls the state of [1:00:44] strait authorities? [1:00:46] Again, this, these statements were put out 12 hours ago. We expect that the strait will be opened [1:00:51] immediately. As I've said earlier, we have seen an uptick in traffic in the strait. And it's something [1:00:57] that we are monitoring minute by minute, hour by hour, as the days go on. [1:01:01] I'm asking you to go ahead. [1:01:02] Who controls the strait right now? [1:01:04] Thank you, Caroline. Two questions. One, on the deportations of Iranian officials and then on [1:01:08] the negotiations. Are there still security concerns about vice president's fans being part of these [1:01:14] peace talks? Steve Witkopf, Jerry Kushner. And then two, given the ongoing deportation of General [1:01:20] Soleimani's niece, does the Trump administration plan to deport more relatives or people in the [1:01:26] families of Iranian officials that are in the U.S.? [1:01:28] Certainly. Anyone who is here fraudulently, I understand one of the individuals who, [1:01:33] their visa was revoked by Secretary Rubio and they were deported by ICE. They had a fraudulent [1:01:38] asylum claim. That's against the laws of the United States. So anyone who is here illegally [1:01:42] or fraudulently is subject to our nation's immigration laws and will be removed from our country. [1:01:47] And I know this continues to be a top priority for the State Department working in conjunction [1:01:52] with the Department of Homeland Security. With respect to the safety of the vice president, [1:01:57] we fully trust the United States Secret Service to do their job to keep the vice president and [1:02:01] the president's negotiating team safe. They do a tremendous job and we fully trust them to do that. [1:02:07] Caroline. In the back. Go ahead. [1:02:08] Thank you, Caroline. The president has said Cuba is next. What's the message to the American people [1:02:14] regarding Cuba? And what can Cubans expect in relation to this statement? [1:02:17] Well, look, I think when President Trump said that, and he later clarified after making that [1:02:22] statement that he meant the Cuban regime is bound to fall. The country is very weak. They're in a [1:02:28] very weak position economically, obviously, financially. The Cuban people are fed up with [1:02:33] their government as they should be. And these talks and discussions continue to happen at the [1:02:38] highest level of our government. I don't have any updates or announcements for you with respect to [1:02:43] Cuba policy today. Thank you, Caroline. Secretary Hexas said this morning that U.S. troops would be [1:02:50] sticking around. Can you expound upon that? What we should expect from U.S. troops in theater for the [1:02:56] next two weeks and beyond? I would defer you to the Pentagon for any specifics on assets that have been [1:03:02] in place in the Middle East. But take the secretary at his word. And also the president has reiterated [1:03:07] this as well in his own words that we're not going to move anything immediately. Again, this is a [1:03:12] a two-week ceasefire where we hope at the end and we expect at the end we'll have a good agreement [1:03:17] between the United States and Iran. But in the meantime, we're going to ensure that our military [1:03:21] is always at the ready of the commander-in-chief. I'll take a couple more. In the back, sure. [1:03:27] On NATO. I'll take your question. Go ahead. [1:03:30] Thank you, Caroline. On NATO, can you tell me, is the United States still considering withdrawing [1:03:35] from NATO? Is that still a possibility? [1:03:37] It's something the president has discussed. And I think it's something the president will be discussing [1:03:41] in a couple of hours with Secretary General Ruta. And perhaps you'll hear directly from the president [1:03:45] following that meeting later this afternoon. Thank you, everyone.