Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, Apr. 8, 2026

[0:08] Ms. Good afternoon, everybody. [0:09] Good to see all of you here today. [0:13] Before I discuss the ceasefire with Iran, [0:16] I have a quick update from the First Lady of the United States. [0:20] Yesterday marked the very first conviction [0:22] under the Take It Down Act, [0:24] landmark legislation that First Lady Melania Trump [0:27] played an instrumental role in getting passed [0:30] that protects victims from non-consensual, [0:33] AI-generated, sexually explicit images, [0:36] cyber-stalking, and threats of violence. [0:38] This is a huge achievement for the First Lady, [0:41] and I know the President is very proud of his wife's efforts [0:44] in getting this critical legislation passed [0:45] to protect America's youth. [0:47] So we thank the First Lady for her efforts, [0:49] and we hope that others will report [0:51] on this historic conviction yesterday. [0:54] With respect to the two-week ceasefire [0:56] announced by President Trump last night, [0:58] this is a victory for the United States of America [1:01] that the President and our incredible military made happen. [1:05] From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, [1:09] President Trump stated this would be a four- [1:11] to six-week military operation [1:13] to dismantle the military threat posed [1:16] by the radical Islamic Iranian regime. [1:20] Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities [1:22] of America's warfighters, [1:23] the United States has achieved and exceeded [1:26] those core military objectives in just 38 days. [1:31] The U.S. military destroyed Iran's defense industrial base, [1:35] crushing the regime's ability to manufacture weapons [1:38] that they and their proxies use to maim and kill Americans [1:42] and terrorize the world. [1:44] Iran's ability to build and stockpile ballistic missiles [1:47] and long-range drones has also been set back by years, [1:50] compared to where it was six weeks ago, [1:52] prior to the launch of Operation Epic Fury. [1:56] We destroyed the vast majority of Iran's ballistic missiles, [1:59] launcher vehicles, and long-range attack drones [2:02] through more than 450 strikes on ballistic missiles [2:06] and approximately 800 strikes [2:08] on Iran's drone-launching units and storage facilities. [2:12] In total, more than 13,000 targets across Iran were struck. [2:17] Again, this is in the matter of just 38 days. [2:21] Meanwhile, the Iranian Navy was completely annihilated. [2:26] The United States destroyed more than 150 naval vessels in total, [2:30] including 16 entire classes of Iranian warships. [2:35] Despite once being the largest undersea force in the Middle East, [2:39] Iran now has zero submarine vessels. [2:43] Ninety-seven percent of Iran's once-massive inventory [2:46] of more than 5,000 naval mines [2:49] has also been targeted and destroyed. [2:51] Iran's air forces are functionally [2:53] and operationally irrelevant at this point, [2:56] after the United States maintained total air dominance [2:59] over their country for weeks on end. [3:02] To underscore the significance of this, [3:04] before Operation Epic Fury, [3:06] the Iranian Air Force would fly between 30 to 100 flights per day. [3:11] Today, that number is zero. [3:14] Iran's ability to fund and support its terrorist proxies [3:17] has been greatly reduced. [3:19] At this point, Iran can no longer distribute weapons [3:22] to its proxies in the region. [3:24] And most importantly, [3:25] Iran will not be able to acquire nuclear weapons. [3:29] Prior to the start of this successful operation, [3:32] Iran was aggressively expanding [3:34] its short-range ballistic missile arsenal. [3:36] Through these weapons and its Navy, [3:38] Iran was attempting to build a military buildup [3:41] around their country that would pose an imminent [3:44] and existential threat to the United States' military assets [3:47] in the Middle East, our allies in the region, [3:49] and ultimately, the free world. [3:52] Iran was pursuing this dangerous and aggressive strategy [3:55] for one reason, [3:56] to hold the entire world hostage to its terrorist ambitions. [4:00] The Iranians aim to use their expanded military capabilities [4:04] as shields around their country [4:06] to continue achieving their ultimate goal internally, [4:09] building nuclear bombs. [4:11] But their murderous and evil plans have been blown up, [4:13] quite literally and figuratively, [4:16] along with their military, their nuclear program, [4:18] and most of their senior leadership, [4:20] including the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah al-Khamani. [4:25] Their command and control structures [4:26] were also massively disrupted [4:28] after being struck more than 2,000 times. [4:31] Many of their remaining leaders are paralyzed in fear [4:34] and no longer enjoy the freedom [4:36] to move around their country freely and meet openly. [4:40] Thanks to the unmatched excellence of our warriors [4:42] at the direction of the Commander-in-Chief, [4:44] the world has just witnessed a historically swift [4:47] and successful military triumph. [4:50] President Trump started Operation Epic Fury [4:52] with strategic military objectives, [4:54] and the United States has clearly achieved them. [4:58] As we mark this progress, [4:59] we also remember and honor the 13 American heroes [5:02] who laid down their lives in this noble effort. [5:05] I know President Trump and our grateful nation [5:08] honors their ultimate sacrifice, [5:10] and we will never forget them. [5:12] May God bless their families. [5:14] The valiant efforts of all of our incredible service members [5:17] created maximum leverage [5:19] for the President of the United States, [5:21] allowing he and his leadership team [5:23] to engage in tough negotiations [5:26] over the past couple of weeks [5:27] that have now created an opening [5:29] for a diplomatic solution [5:30] in long-term peace in the Middle East. [5:33] The President's maximum pressure and the leverage created [5:36] by the success of Operation Epic Fury [5:38] led to the Iranian regime asking for, [5:41] and ultimately agreeing to, [5:43] a ceasefire proposal with the United States. [5:46] Iran could no longer tolerate being bombed [5:48] or taking the gamble of what was to come [5:51] following President Trump's 8 p.m. deadline last night. [5:54] Iran has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, [5:57] and as the President said, [5:58] we have received a proposal from the Iranians [6:01] that has been determined to be a workable basis [6:04] on which to negotiate. [6:05] I've seen a lot of inaccurate coverage today [6:07] from the media about these negotiations [6:09] and these plans already. [6:11] So let me be clear and correct the record. [6:14] The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan [6:16] that was fundamentally unserious, [6:19] unacceptable, and completely discarded. [6:21] It was literally thrown in the garbage [6:23] by President Trump and his negotiating team. [6:26] Many outlets in this room have falsely reported [6:29] on that plan as being acceptable to the United States, [6:32] and that is false. [6:33] With the President's deadline fast approaching [6:35] and the United States military completely decimating Iran [6:38] with each passing hour, [6:40] the regime acknowledged reality to the negotiating team. [6:43] They put forward a more reasonable [6:45] and entirely different and condensed plan [6:48] to the President and his team. [6:50] President Trump and the team determined [6:52] the new modified plan was a workable basis [6:54] on which to negotiate and to align it [6:57] with our own 15-point proposal. [7:00] The President's red lines, [7:01] namely the end of Iranian enrichment in Iran, [7:05] have not changed. [7:06] And the idea that President Trump [7:08] would ever accept an Iranian wishlist as a deal [7:12] is completely absurd. [7:13] The President will only make a deal [7:15] that serves in the best interests [7:16] of the United States of America. [7:18] And he, as a negotiating team, [7:20] will focus on this effort over the next two weeks, [7:22] so long as the Strait of Hormuz remains open [7:25] with no limitations or delays. [7:28] These extraordinarily sensitive and complex negotiations [7:31] will take place behind closed doors [7:33] over the course of the next two weeks. [7:35] I would strongly advise the media [7:37] against running with narratives [7:38] that have no basis in fact. [7:40] What Iran says publicly or feeds to all of you [7:43] in the press is much different [7:44] than what they communicate to the United States, [7:47] the President, and his team privately. [7:49] Never underestimate President Trump's ability [7:51] to successfully advance America's interests [7:54] and broker peace. [7:55] President Trump has a proven track record [7:57] of achieving good deals on behalf of the United States [8:00] and the American people, [8:02] and he will only accept one that puts America first. [8:05] With that, I will take your questions today. [8:07] I'm sure you have a lot of them. [8:09] In our new media seat, we have Shane Harris [8:10] with the AMAC Newsline. [8:12] Shane, thank you for being here. [8:13] Why don't you kick us off? [8:14] Yeah, thanks for having me, Caroline. [8:15] I have two questions for you. [8:16] First, following the President's announcement [8:18] of the ceasefire, [8:19] if this is indeed the end of hostilities in Iran, [8:22] what is the President's message to the American people [8:24] about what was it achieved for our country [8:26] through Operation Epic Fury? [8:28] Ms. Sure, I think I just laid out [8:29] a significant portion of that in my opening remarks. [8:32] Six weeks ago, the President looked [8:34] the American people in the eye directly, [8:35] and he told them that he launched this operation [8:38] to take out the imminent threat [8:39] that was posed by Iran. [8:41] And that threat has now been greatly destroyed. [8:44] Their Navy, their missiles, [8:45] their defense industrial base, [8:47] and their desire and their plan [8:49] to build a nuclear bomb inside their country [8:52] is no longer going to be allowed, [8:53] can no longer happen, [8:54] thanks to the remarkable success of Operation Epic Fury [8:57] over the course of the last 38 days. [8:59] That has been absolutely achieved. [9:01] And now we're moving into the next phase of this, [9:03] which is a negotiating period, [9:05] to put some fine points on this [9:07] and to hopefully broker an agreement [9:09] that can achieve long-term peace in the Middle East. [9:11] The Press. [9:12] Yeah, and then second, [9:13] what is the President's message to American seniors [9:15] who have a much higher voter participation rate [9:17] and they're likely to be a key swing vote [9:18] in the midterm elections? [9:20] Ms. Well, the President loves our seniors [9:21] across the country. [9:23] And as you know, the President signed [9:25] the one big, beautiful bill, [9:26] the working families tax cut last year, [9:28] which greatly reduced taxes [9:30] on Social Security for our seniors. [9:32] In fact, thanks to the working families tax cut, [9:35] nearly 90 percent of seniors [9:36] will no longer pay tax on their Social Security. [9:39] That's a huge win for our seniors [9:41] and also for our middle class [9:43] and working families across the country [9:44] with the no tax on tips provision [9:46] and the no tax on overtime. [9:47] Next week is tax week. [9:49] You'll hear a lot from the President [9:51] about how his policies have benefited the American people. [9:53] And I'm proud to report that the President [9:55] will be traveling next week [9:56] to the great states of Nevada and Arizona [9:59] to tout this historic accomplishment [10:01] over the course of the next week. [10:02] Thank you for being here, Shane. Gabe. [10:04] The Press. [10:05] The Press. [10:06] The Press. [10:07] The Press. [10:08] The Press. [10:08] The Press. [10:09] The Press. [10:10] The Press. [10:10] The Press. [10:11] The Press. [10:11] The Press. [10:13] The Press. [10:14] The Press. [10:15] The Press. [10:16] The Press. [10:16] The Press. [10:18] The Press. [10:18] The Press. [10:19] And the Press. [10:20] The Press. [10:21] And what's the White House response to that? [10:23] And you just listed many military successes. [10:24] I understand that. [10:25] But strategically, how is the administration arguing [10:26] that Iran does not have more economic leverage [10:29] than now than it did before the Star report? [10:30] Ms. Sure. [10:31] Well, with respect to the first reporting [10:33] out of Iranian state media, [10:33] the President was made aware of those reports [10:35] before I came to the podium. [10:36] That is completely unacceptable. [10:38] And again, this is a case of what they're saying publicly [10:40] is different privately. [10:41] We have seen an uptick of traffic in the strait today. [10:44] And I will reiterate the President's expectation [10:47] and demand that the Strait of Hormuz [10:49] is reopened immediately, quickly, and safely. [10:53] That is his expectation. [10:54] It has been relayed to him privately [10:57] that that is what's taking place, [10:58] and these reports publicly are false. [11:00] The Press. [11:01] The Press. [11:02] The Press. [11:03] The Press. [11:04] The Press. [11:05] The Press. [11:06] The Press. [11:07] The Press. [11:08] The Press. [11:09] The Press. [11:10] The Press. [11:12] The Press. [11:12] The Press. [11:13] The Press. [11:14] The Press. [11:16] But why is it appropriate for the President [11:17] of the United States to use that kind of language [11:19] when talking about civilian targets? [11:22] And was the President mocking Islam [11:24] by signing off his true social post over the weekend? [11:26] Praise be to Allah. [11:28] Wouldn't that antagonize Muslim allies across the world? [11:30] Ms. Well, I understand the questions [11:31] about the President's rhetoric. [11:32] But what the President cares most about is results. [11:36] And in fact, his very tough rhetoric [11:38] that you are all witnessing today. [11:40] Iran publicly acknowledging last night that they have agreed [11:44] or that they wanted this ceasefire with the United States [11:47] because they no longer could tolerate being bombed [11:49] by our very powerful and lethal military, [11:52] and that they have committed to the reopening [11:53] of the Strait of Hormuz, [11:54] which the President will hold them accountable for. [11:57] And it's something the administration [11:58] is closely monitoring in real time. [12:00] The Press. [12:00] Ms. Danny. [12:01] The Press. [12:02] The Press. [12:03] The Press. [12:04] The Press. [12:05] The Press. [12:06] The Press. [12:07] The Press. [12:09] Ellie. [12:09] The Press. [12:10] The Press. [12:10] The Press. [12:11] The Press. [12:13] Is always most interested in results, [12:14] and it was the Iranians who backed down, [12:16] not President Trump. [12:17] He said that they would face very grave consequences, [12:19] as you just laid out, by the 8 p.m. [12:21] deadline if they did not agree to reopening [12:22] the Strait of Hormuz. [12:23] And what did they do last night? [12:25] They agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [12:26] Dani. [12:27] The Press. [12:28] cloud-那我們. [12:29] Thanks, Connie. [12:30] Would President Trump like to see Lebanon included [12:32] in this peace deal? [12:33] As you know, there have been increased Israeli strikes [12:35] on Lebanon today with dozens of casualties then. [12:37] and relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire. [12:40] As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement [12:43] last night in support of the ceasefire, [12:45] in support of the United States' efforts. [12:47] And he's also assured the President [12:49] they'll continue to be a helpful partner [12:51] throughout the course of the next two weeks. [12:53] The Press. [12:54] The Press. [12:55] The Press. [12:56] The Press. [12:57] Is there any thought, though, [12:58] that the President might like to see Lebanon included [13:00] at a future date, given that it seems to be causing [13:02] or potentially undermining the Iran ceasefire? [13:03] Ms. Again, this will continue to be discussed, [13:04] I am sure, between the President [13:06] and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States and Israel, [13:09] and all of the parties involved. [13:10] But at this point in time, [13:11] they're not included in this ceasefire deal. [13:13] Jeff. [13:14] The Press. [13:15] The Press. [13:16] The Press. [13:17] The Press. [13:18] The Press. [13:19] The Press. [13:20] The Press. [13:21] The Press. [13:22] Ms. I can announce that the President [13:23] is dispatching his negotiating team, [13:25] led by the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, [13:28] Special Envoy Whitcoff, and Mr. Kushner to Islamabad [13:31] for talks this weekend. [13:32] The first round of those talks will take place [13:34] on Saturday morning, local time. [13:36] And we know we look forward to those in-person meetings. [13:39] The Press. [13:40] The Press. [13:41] What role does the President see for the U.S. [13:42] in monitoring or helping with the Strait of Hormuz going for? [13:46] Ms. I think the President commented on that this morning. [13:48] We're going to continue to monitor it very, very closely. [13:51] We will be helpful in any way that we can, [13:53] but we fully expect Iran to do this, [13:55] and the President has made that quite clear as well. [13:57] Again, as his statement said last night, [14:00] this ceasefire is subject to the safe reopening [14:03] of the Strait of Hormuz. [14:04] Again, this was just determined last night. [14:06] We understand things take time, [14:08] but that's the President's expectation, [14:09] and he will hold everyone to it. [14:11] The Press. [14:12] Ms. Sure, in the green blazer. [14:14] The Press. [14:15] The Press. [14:16] Ms. Sure, and then in front of you. [14:17] But, Andrew, you can go ahead. [14:18] The Press. [14:19] The Press. [14:20] The Press. [14:21] The Press. [14:22] The Press. [14:23] Ms. I am actually wearing a green blazer. [14:24] Ms. It's a little brown to me, but go ahead. [14:25] The Press. [14:26] The Press. [14:27] The Press. [14:28] Fair enough. [14:29] So, regarding the President's rhetoric, [14:30] when the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, [14:33] George W. Bush said in a message [14:36] to the Iraqi people that the military campaign was [14:40] directed, quote, [14:41] against the lawless men who rule your country [14:43] and not against you. [14:45] Yesterday, the President threatened to destroy [14:48] Iran's civilization, the entire civilization. [14:52] Not the Iranian government, [14:54] but the Iranian civilization, the Iranian people. [14:58] The U.S. has been a moral leader for most of its history [15:02] by fighting wars against other governments, [15:06] not against civilizations. [15:09] How can the President claim that America [15:11] can ever have the moral high ground [15:13] if he's threatening to destroy civilizations [15:16] and not casting wars as fights against other governments? [15:21] Ms. Andrew, I think you should take a look [15:22] at the actions of this President [15:24] over the course of the past six weeks [15:25] and the actions of our brave men and women [15:27] in our United States military, [15:29] who have taken out the military, [15:31] essentially taken out the military [15:33] of a rogue Islamic regime [15:36] that has chanted death to America for 47 years, [15:39] that has killed and maimed thousands of American soldiers [15:42] over the course of the last five decades. [15:44] The President absolutely has the moral high ground [15:47] over the Iranian terrorist regime, [15:49] and for you to even suggest otherwise, [15:51] is frankly insulting. [15:52] Go ahead. [15:53] The Press, with all due respect, [15:53] there is just given what we've seen in Lebanon today [16:00] and the increased attacks of Israel. [16:02] I mean, is there any concern that Netanyahu [16:05] is trying to kill the ceasefire? [16:07] Ms. The President spoke [16:08] with Prime Minister Netanyahu last night. [16:10] And in that private conversation, [16:12] Prime Minister Netanyahu relayed exactly what he said [16:14] to the world publicly, [16:15] that he supports the President [16:17] and Israel remains a key ally [16:18] and partner to the United States. [16:20] They've been a tremendous partner [16:21] over the course of the past six weeks. [16:23] And we thank them [16:24] for their heroic efforts as well. [16:26] And the President had that conversation last night, [16:29] and that was relayed to the world publicly as well. [16:33] Reagan, go ahead. [16:34] The Press, thank you, Caroline. [16:34] I have a question for you on Iran [16:36] and a question on the Dignity Act as well. [16:39] On Iran, it's been reported that the ceasefire [16:42] was struck after the involvement [16:43] of two unlikely factors, J.D. Vance and China. [16:47] What role did those parties play in striking a deal? [16:50] Ms. Well, Vice President Vance [16:51] has played a very significant and a key role in this [16:54] since the very beginning. [16:56] Of course, he's the President's right-hand man. [16:57] He is the Vice President of the United States. [17:00] He's been involved in all of these discussions. [17:01] And as I just announced, [17:02] he'll be leading this new phase of negotiations [17:05] in Islamabad later this week. [17:09] With respect to China, there were conversations [17:12] that took place between top levels of our government [17:15] and China's government. [17:17] The President has great respect for President Xi [17:20] and a great working relationship with him [17:22] and with that country. [17:24] And he looks forward to visiting China in just a few weeks. [17:28] The Press on the Dignity Act, [17:29] it's getting a fresh push through Congress. [17:32] It would give some illegal immigrants in the country [17:34] a path to citizenship. [17:36] What's the White House's position on this legislation? [17:38] And would the President sign it [17:40] if it made it to his desk? [17:41] Ms. Honestly, Reagan, I haven't spoken [17:42] to the President about the legislation. [17:44] But I will have that conversation, [17:46] and we'll get you our formal position on it [17:48] as soon as we can. [17:49] You're welcome. Go ahead. [17:51] The Press on the Press. [17:55] The Press on the Press. [17:57] The Press on the Press. [17:58] The Press on the Press. [17:59] The Press on the Press. [18:00] The Press on the Press. [18:01] The Press on the Press. [18:02] Does the President believe that the U.S. [18:03] should earn revenue from the Strait of Rameez going forward? [18:04] Ms. It's something, it's an idea [18:06] the President has floated, as you know. [18:08] And it's something that will continue to be discussed [18:10] over the course of the next two weeks. [18:11] But the immediate priority of the President [18:14] is the reopening of the Strait [18:15] without any limitations, [18:17] whether in the form of tolls or otherwise. [18:19] The Press on the highly enriched uranium. [18:21] Has Iran given the administration any indication [18:24] that it would simply turn over the enriched uranium? [18:27] Or is this an expectation that the President has [18:30] that he would have to send in ground troops [18:32] in order to do that? [18:33] Ms. This is on the top of the priority list [18:35] for the President and his negotiating team [18:37] as they head into this next round of discussions. [18:40] And as I said in my opener, [18:41] that is a red line that the President [18:43] is not going to back away from. [18:45] And he's committed to ensuring that takes place. [18:48] We hope it will be through diplomacy. [18:50] But have they given any indication [18:51] that they would turn it over? [18:52] Ms. They have. [18:54] The Press thepea Dimitri acontece [18:55] The Press the latest news out of Iran [18:57] is that the air defenses have been activated [18:59] in several cities including Isfahan [19:01] and then explosions have been heard in Isfahan. [19:03] Who is bombing Iran right now? [19:05] Ms. Are those reports just as of a few minutes ago? [19:08] The Press thepea Dimitri � [19:10] I'll have to go back and check with the national security team. [19:13] I'm standing out here with all of you. [19:14] But I will do that, and we will get you an answer, okay? [19:16] The Press, just on the civilization question [19:18] that we've been talking about. [19:20] Ms. And I would just add to that point, [19:22] again, I haven't seen these reports. [19:23] I'm not verifying them. [19:24] Not that I don't trust you, Trevor, [19:25] but I want to go back and check with the experts [19:27] here at the White House. [19:28] I would just say, and I would echo [19:30] what the Vice President said this morning. [19:32] This is a fragile truce. [19:33] Ceasefires are fragile by nature. [19:35] We've seen this with respect to the 12-day war [19:38] with Iran and Israel last year. [19:39] It takes time sometimes for these ceasefires [19:41] to be fully effectuated. [19:43] And one of the results of Operation Epic Fury [19:46] was we completely dismantled Iran's command and control center, [19:49] which makes it difficult for them to pass messages [19:52] up and down the chain. [19:53] And so we understand that. [19:55] I would caution a little bit of patience, [19:57] but of course we want to see the ceasefire effectuated [20:00] and abided by by all parties as quickly as possible. [20:03] The Press, the American presidential administrations, [20:06] going back to Ronald Reagan, [20:08] have said this formulation about nuclear war, [20:10] that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. [20:12] Is that still the view of this administration, [20:15] given the President's comments about civilization? [20:17] Ms. I have no change in our view on that policy. [20:19] Katie. [20:20] The Press, Carolyn. [20:21] The Press, given the gravity of what he said yesterday, [20:25] what was your understanding of what he meant when he said, [20:28] that civilization is going to be eliminated? [20:31] Ms. I think it was a very, very strong threat [20:34] from the President of the United States [20:36] that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees [20:39] and ask for a ceasefire [20:40] and agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. [20:43] So it was a very strong threat that led to results. [20:45] And as the Secretary of War stated at the Pentagon this morning, [20:49] it was not an empty threat by any means. [20:52] The Pentagon had a target list [20:54] that they were ready to hit go on at 8 p.m. last night [20:58] if the Iranian regime had not agreed to open the Strait, [21:00] which they did. [21:01] And I think that's something we should all be grateful for. [21:03] The Press, do you see the United States [21:04] as a moral leader in the world, given that he has [21:06] Ms. I was asked this exact same question [21:07] by your colleague, Andrew, in the back. [21:09] And I think, again, the insinuation by anyone in this room [21:13] that Iran somehow has the moral high ground [21:15] over the United States of America is insulting, [21:17] considering the atrocities that they have committed [21:22] against our people and our military [21:24] over the past five decades. [21:27] John. John, go ahead. [21:29] The Press, thanks a lot, Caroline. [21:30] Two questions for you. [21:31] One has to do with a statement, [21:33] a joint statement put out this morning [21:35] by some of America's European allies, our NATO allies. [21:38] And in that joint statement, [21:40] they said regarding the Strait of Hormuz, [21:42] our governments will contribute to ensuring freedom [21:45] of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. [21:48] What's the administration's reaction to that joint statement? [21:51] Does that smooth things over [21:53] when the President meets with NATO's Secretary General [21:56] a little bit later this afternoon? [21:57] Ms. I have a direct quote [21:58] from the President of the United States on NATO, [22:00] and I will share it with all of you. [22:02] They were tested and they failed. [22:04] And I would add, it's quite sad that NATO [22:06] turned their backs on the American people [22:08] over the course of the last six weeks, [22:09] when it's the American people [22:10] who have been defunding their defense. [22:13] As you know, President Trump will be meeting [22:14] with Secretary Ruta in a couple of hours [22:16] here at the White House, [22:17] and I know he looks forward to having a very frank [22:19] and candid conversation with him. [22:21] The Press. And then secondly, [22:23] in regards to this conflict, 38 days, as you pointed out, [22:26] President Trump has said that there's been regime change. [22:29] Has that regime change led to more freedoms [22:33] for the Iranian people? [22:35] Ms. I think that's a question [22:37] that's being asked a little bit too early, John, [22:39] and we hope that is the case. [22:41] But it's something that has yet to be seen. [22:43] The Press. [22:47] The Press. [22:47] The Press. [22:49] The Press. [22:50] On this question of tolling by the Iranians [22:51] in the Strait of Hormuz, I've heard you talk [22:53] about a number of red lines [22:54] that the President has in this negotiation, [22:55] but I haven't heard you say that Iranian tolling [22:58] in the Strait of Hormuz is a red line. [23:00] Would it be acceptable to the United States [23:02] at the end of all this if the Iranians are able [23:04] to charge foals in the Strait of Hormuz? [23:06] Ms. I think the President was very clear [23:08] simplistic in his language last night in his true social post, where he said that this [23:12] ceasefire is subject to the free, safe, and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. [23:18] That's very plain language, and it should be taken at face value. [23:21] The Press. [23:22] Ms. Carrie. [23:23] Carrie, go ahead. [23:24] Without limitation, including tolls. [23:26] Yes. [23:27] Carrie. [23:28] The Press. [23:29] A quick follow-up on the atollian. [23:30] Why would the U.S. allow Iran to collect tolls from the Strait of Hormuz? [23:33] That's not something that we've opposed for a number of years now. [23:36] Ms. Again, that's not something we've said that we've definitively accepted. [23:40] The joint venture is something that was proposed by the President, but he was very clear in [23:45] his statement last night. [23:46] He wants to see the Strait reopened immediately without limitation, and that's something we're [23:50] going to hold them to. [23:51] The Press. [23:52] The Press. [23:53] The Press. [23:54] On family and friends in Iran, I myself am Iranian, and I've been talking to them through [23:58] the blackout. [23:59] One of my family members yesterday said goodbye to me. [24:02] So what message should we be sending Iranians when they message me saying, what should they [24:06] be doing right now? [24:07] How should they stay safe? [24:09] Because they really don't know what to do. [24:11] Ms. I think the President's main priority and my main priority as his spokeswoman is [24:17] to make sure that clear messages are sent to the American people, of course, which is [24:21] my job today. [24:22] With respect to the Iranian people, the President, you know, has taken out the imminent threat [24:27] that was posed by their military to the United States, to our allies in the region, to our [24:32] forces in the region. [24:33] And, of course, as the President has long said, he hopes that Iran will be a country of [24:39] peace, of prosperity, and we're moving into this next round of negotiations to hopefully [24:43] come to an agreement with this new regime that will create long-term stability in the Middle [24:49] East. [24:50] The Press. [24:51] The Press. [24:52] ... retailers stay inside of their homes and also take back their country. [24:57] So, how — there's a contraction there. [24:58] So how do you address that? [24:59] Ms. Again, we're moving into this next round of negotiations with the remnants [25:03] of the regime and those that we are speaking with now to hopefully reach a place of peace [25:07] long-term for the region. [25:08] And that includes the Iranian people as well. [25:11] The Press. [25:12] In the blue, go ahead. [25:13] The Press. [25:15] The Press. [25:16] The White House issued a statement from the Iranian government that passage in the [25:19] will be coordinated with Iran's armed forces. [25:22] As of today, who controls the state of the strait apartments? [25:26] Ms. Again, these statements were put out 12 hours ago. [25:29] We expect that the strait will be opened immediately. [25:32] As I said earlier, we have seen an uptick in traffic in the strait, [25:36] and it's something that we are monitoring minute by minute, [25:39] hour by hour, as the days go on. [25:41] The Press, who controls the strait right now? [25:44] The Press, two questions. [25:45] One on the deportations of Iranian officials, [25:48] and then on the negotiations, [25:50] are there still security concerns about Vice President Vance [25:54] being part of these peace talks, Steve Wyckoff, Jerry Kushner? [25:57] And then, two, given the ongoing deportation [26:00] of General Soleimani's niece, [26:02] does the Trump administration plan to deport more relatives [26:05] or people in the families of Iranian officials that are in the U.S.? [26:08] Ms. Certainly, anyone who is here fraudulently. [26:11] I understand one of the individuals who their visa [26:14] was revoked by Secretary Rubio and they were deported by ICE. [26:17] They had a fraudulent asylum claim. [26:19] That's against the laws of the United States. [26:21] So, anyone who is here illegally or fraudulently [26:24] is subject to our nation's immigration laws [26:26] and will be removed from our country. [26:28] And I know this continues to be a top priority [26:30] for the State Department working in conjunction [26:32] with the Department of Homeland Security. [26:34] With respect to the safety of the Vice President, [26:37] we fully trust the United States Secret Service [26:39] to do their job to keep the Vice President [26:41] and the President's negotiating team safe. [26:44] They do a tremendous job, [26:45] and we fully trust them to do that. [26:47] In the back, go ahead. [26:48] The Press, the President has said Cuba is next. [26:52] What's the message to the American people regarding Cuba? [26:55] And what can Cubans expect in relation to this statement? [26:57] Ms. Well, look, I think when President Trump said that, [27:00] and he later clarified after making that statement, [27:02] that he meant the Cuban regime is bound to fall. [27:06] The country is very weak. [27:08] They're in a very weak position economically, obviously, [27:11] financially. [27:12] The Cuban people are fed up with their government, [27:14] as they should be. [27:16] And these talks and discussions continue to happen [27:18] at the highest level of our government. [27:20] I don't have any updates or announcements for you [27:22] with respect to Cuba policy today. [27:24] That's good to see you. [27:26] The Press, thank you, Caroline. [27:27] Secretary Hexas said this morning [27:29] that U.S. troops would be sticking around. [27:31] Can you expound upon that, [27:33] what we should expect from U.S. troops in theater [27:36] for the next two weeks and beyond? [27:38] Ms. I would defer you to the Pentagon [27:39] for any specifics on assets that have been in place [27:43] in the Middle East. [27:44] But take the Secretary at his word. [27:46] And also, the President has reiterated this as well [27:48] in his own words that we're not going [27:50] to move anything immediately. [27:52] Again, this is a two-week ceasefire [27:54] where we hope at the end and we expect at the end [27:56] we'll have a good agreement [27:57] between the United States and Iran. [27:59] But in the meantime, we're going to ensure [28:01] that our military is always at the ready [28:03] of the Commander-in-Chief. [28:04] I'll take a couple more. [28:06] In the back, sure. [28:07] The Press, thank you for that. [28:09] On NATO, I'll take your question. [28:10] Go ahead. [28:11] The Press, thank you, Caroline. [28:12] On NATO, can you tell me is the United States [28:14] still considering withdrawing from NATO? [28:16] Is that still a possibility? [28:17] Ms. It's something the President has discussed. [28:19] And I think it's something the President [28:20] will be discussing in a couple of hours [28:22] with Secretary General Ruta. [28:24] And perhaps you'll hear directly from the President [28:26] following that meeting later this afternoon. [28:27] Thank you, everyone.