FULL: President Trump addresses Iran war-Operation Epic Fury

Hello every Thank you very much. It's

been a very big two days I have to say and we'll be heading back to Washington DC right after this.

And I'd like to wish everyone a very good evening. And over the weekend the

good evening. And over the weekend the United States military and the Israeli Defense Forces continued Operation Epic Fury very successfully. Over the past

nine days, we've carried out some of the most powerful and complex military strikes and maneuvers the world has ever seen. Now, you add that up to all of the

seen. Now, you add that up to all of the other things, Midnight Hammer, getting rid of the nuclear threat from Iran, which was a big moment in history in my

opinion, and uh the great success we've had in Venezuela and all other places.

Every place we've gone, we've had tremendous success.

But while we're doing all of these things, we're achieving major strides toward completing our military objective.

And some people could say they're pretty well complete. We've wiped every single

well complete. We've wiped every single force in Iran out very completely. Most

of Iran's naval power power has been sunk. It's on the bottom of the sea.

sunk. It's on the bottom of the sea.

It's almost 50 ships. I was just notified it's 51 ships. I didn't know they had that many. Didn't last very long. And these are fighting vessels.

long. And these are fighting vessels.

They're meant to fight, but they're not meant to fight against us. We continue

to target Iran's drone and missile capabilities. Their drones are way down.

capabilities. Their drones are way down.

Their uh drone manufacturing's been hit starting today. We know all of the

starting today. We know all of the places they manufacture the drones and they're being hit one after another. uh

their missile capability is down to about 10% maybe less. We're also hitting where they make missiles and where they deliver missiles. We've struck over

deliver missiles. We've struck over 5,000 targets to date, some of them very major targets, and we've left some of the most important targets for later in case we need to do it. If we hit them,

it's going to take many years for them to be rebuilt, having to do with electricity production and many other things. So, we're not

looking to do that if we don't have to.

But they're the kind of things that are very easy to hit, but very devastating if they are hit. Uh we are waiting to see what happens before we hit them. We

could take them all out in one day, but it's all resulting in a 90% decline in uh various things, but in particular,

Iranian missile launchers and 83% drop in drone launchers. As you know, the drone launchers are are pretty well

shot, but we're at over 90% decline in the Iranian missile launchers, which is very hard to reproduce and very hard to get.

And usually what we were able to do through great uh equipment, a lot of smart people, as soon as they sent a missile up from a launcher, we were able

to knock out that launcher within a period of 5 minutes or less accurately right on the noggin. So now we have lowcost interceptors effectively

combating Iranian drones. And our B2 bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000 pound bombs to destroy missile launchers

all over Iran and buried deep under Iranian soil. In many cases, the soil

Iranian soil. In many cases, the soil was no match. And we're also annihilating the manufacturing base that the regime uses to build drones and

missiles at a rate that nobody thought was possible. We're knocking them out.

was possible. We're knocking them out.

We know where they all are. We're

knocking them out very quickly. We're

ahead of our initial timeline by a lot.

I would say that we probably would not have thought after a month we'd be here.

In addition to the fact that we've taken out the leadership twice and maybe three times and we, as you know, we want to be

involved. We don't want another

involved. We don't want another president that maybe wouldn't be willing to do what I'm willing to do for the good of the world, for the good of our nation, to be stuck with the situation

in five years or 10 years from now. So,

we think they should put a president in or the head of the country in that's going to be able to do something peacefully for a change. They've been

doing this for 47 years, killing people for 47 years. Whether it's the barracks or even the SS Cole where they were involved very strongly. They always

denied it. But where they were very strongly involved and all of the people that died through the roadside bombs died and are right now walking around with no legs, no arms,

a face that's been so badly damaged. The

Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terror for 47 years. And despite these countless

years. And despite these countless opportunities to renounce their nuclear ambitions, which they had just a short while ago, they told Mr. Witkoff, who is

standing right over here, they said, uh, they actually said, "We want to keep building essentially in a real nutshell, we want to continue to build nuclear

weapons. If we didn't knock out Midnight

weapons. If we didn't knock out Midnight Hammer, if we didn't knock out their Iranian potential, if we didn't do that with Midnight Hammer, they would have had a nuclear weapon. They would have

used it long before now. And at a minimum, Israel would have been annihilated.

I was very lucky that we had the courage to do that, that we had the talented pilots and the great equipment. The B2

bombers are unbelievable. We ordered 25 more, by the way, the newer, better version.

It's uh we have the greatest military in the world. We have the greatest

the world. We have the greatest equipment in the world by far. You see

that no matter where we go, you still need the people though to operate it and to use it. And those are the people that we cherish. Even after we obliterated

we cherish. Even after we obliterated their key nuclear sites in operation Midnight Hammer, they never negotiated in good faith. They still continued to

say, "We want to build nuclear. We want

enrichment at levels that were unacceptable.

When they even turned down an offer for unlimited free nuclear fuel forever for civilian purposes, we had people offering them free nuclear fuel. They

weren't interested in that because they wanted to build a nuclear weapon.

So instead, the regime was trying to reconstitute its weapons program at a different site. They couldn't go back to

different site. They couldn't go back to where they were, the three sites that we obliterated.

But they were starting work at another site, a different site, different kind of a site, and that was protected by granite. They

wanted it protected. Granite's pretty

good, but they wanted it protected by a lot deeper. They wanted to go a lot

lot deeper. They wanted to go a lot deeper. And they started the process

deeper. And they started the process while rapidly building conventional ballistic missiles. They were going to

ballistic missiles. They were going to do it all at the same time that threatened our overseas bases and soon could have reached even our homeland.

The regime's intention was to use this exponentially growing ballistic missile threat to make it virtually impossible to prevent them from obtaining a nuclear

weapon. So, as you probably saw, they

weapon. So, as you probably saw, they had a tremendous number of missiles, most of which have now been used or destroyed and very unsuccessfully used

because we have been able for the most part to shoot them all down. What

incredible technology the Patriots have been unbelievable and other things.

And the laser technology that we have now is incredible. It's coming out pretty soon where literally lasers will do the work of at a lot less cost do the

work of what the patriots are doing or what other things are doing. The

situation was very quickly approaching the point of no return and the United States found it intolerable in my opinion based on what Steve and Jared

and Pete and others were telling me.

Marco so involved that I thought that they were going to attack us. I thought

they would if we didn't do this at the time we did it. I think they had in mind to attack us. And if you notice, they did something which was very foolish, very stupid. I would say they attacked

very stupid. I would say they attacked their neighbors. And their neighbors

their neighbors. And their neighbors were largely neutral or at least weren't going to be involved and they got attacked

and it had the reverse effect. The

neighbors came onto our side and started attacking them and actually quite successfully. If you look at Saudi

successfully. If you look at Saudi Arabia, you look at UAE, Qatar and others, but they were strong and they were smart. But they got attacked.

were smart. But they got attacked.

Nobody. When I first heard it, I said, "No, somebody made a mistake." There was no mistake. UAE had over a thousand

no mistake. UAE had over a thousand missiles shot at it. Knocked them almost all down.

On the very first day I came down the escalator in 2015, I said, quote, "I will stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and all I'm doing is keeping my promise." Think of that. That was in

promise." Think of that. That was in 2015.

I said it. It was a threat then and a much bigger threat now, but no longer a threat. Not for a long time anyway. We

threat. Not for a long time anyway. We

want to keep it that way. As we continue operation epic fury, we're also focused on keeping energy and oil flowing to the world. And I will not allow a terrorist

world. And I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe's oil supply.

And if Iran does anything to do that, they'll get hit at a much, much harder level. I will take out those targets

level. I will take out those targets that were easy and that I mentioned just before, we'll take them out so quickly.

They'll never be able to recover ever.

If they want to play that game, they better not play that game. In the long run, oil supplies will be dramatically more secure without the threat of Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear

menace, or anything. So, the straight of Hormuz

or anything. So, the straight of Hormuz is going to remain safe. We have a lot of Navy ships there. We have the best equipment in the world inspecting for

mines. Uh again, most of their ships are

mines. Uh again, most of their ships are down at the bottom of the sea, but we will uh we will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody

else helping them to ever recover that section of the world they do anything.

In recent years, the regime and its terror proxies have launched attacks on hundreds of commercial vessels. We're

putting an end to all of this threat once and for all. And the result will be lower oil prices, oil and gas prices for American families. We've done that.

American families. We've done that.

We've done it. We brought it very low.

This was just an excursion into something that had to be done. We're

getting very close to finishing that, too. In the meantime, during this brief

too. In the meantime, during this brief disruption, the United States is offering political risk insurance to any tankers operating in the Gulf. So, we're

putting up risk insurance. will uh

perhaps go alongside of them for protection. We

don't think it'll be necessary. If it

is, and if they do anything, the price will be incalculable.

It will be so great that they will have wished they never did it because you have to keep the straits flowing.

With all of that, it affects other countries much more than it does the United States. Doesn't really affect us.

United States. Doesn't really affect us.

We have so much oil. We have tremendous oil and gas, much more than we need. We

have Venezuela now as our new partner, great partner. They've worked out so

great partner. They've worked out so wonderful. We're working with the

wonderful. We're working with the administration, the president, and it's a massive source of oil, gas,

everything. But, uh, we're in a very

everything. But, uh, we're in a very good position, but very unfair to other parts of the world, like China as an example. I mean, we're doing this for

example. I mean, we're doing this for the other parts of the world, including countries like China. They get a lot of their oil through the straits. So, we're

doing this. We have a very good relationship with PresidentQi in China.

I'm going there in a short period of time, and we're protecting the the world from what these lunatics are trying to

do. And very successfully, I might add.

do. And very successfully, I might add.

We're also waving certain oil related sanctions to reduce prices. So we have sanctions on some countries. We're going

to take those sanctions off till this straightens out. Then who knows, maybe

straightens out. Then who knows, maybe we won't have to put them on. There'll

be so much peace. But when the time comes, the US Navy and his partners will escort tankers through the straight. If

needed, I hope it's not going to be needed, but if it's needed, we'll escort them right through. And we have the greatest mind sweeping ability. We have

the greatest ships and all of the we know exactly where they're placed. We'll

get them out of there very fast. But we

hope we don't have any of that. And

again, if they do that, if they play that game, we're going to hit them at a level that that they have not seen before. So, we're winning very

before. So, we're winning very decisively.

We're way ahead of schedule. Uh it's our military is the greatest in the world with the greatest equipment and the greatest people in the world. is

nobody's ever seen anything like it.

Iran's a very powerful country. They

were going to take over the Middle East.

If we did not hit them, they were going to take over the Middle East. They had

thousands and thousands since their last hit. They had thousands and thousands of

hit. They had thousands and thousands of missiles and everything else. Most are

now destroyed. But they were going to take over the Middle East. Those weapons

were aimed at Middle Eastern countries that had nothing to do with this. They

were going to take over the Middle East and they were going to try and destroy Israel. So, we stopped it with good

Israel. So, we stopped it with good timing and we're very proud to be involved in this and it's going to be ended soon and

if it starts up again they'll be they'll be hit even harder. Uh, thank you very much for being here. Go ahead. Any

questions?

Thank you so much. Do you approve of Iran's new supreme leader? And secondly,

can you tell us more about your call with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. What did you discuss?

today. What did you discuss?

Yes, I had a very good call with President Putin. We had a lot of people

President Putin. We had a lot of people on the line from our side, from his side. We were talking about Ukraine,

side. We were talking about Ukraine, which is just a neverending fight. And when

fight. And when look, there's tremendous hatred between President Putin and President Zinski.

They can't seem to get it together. But

I think it was a positive call on that subject. And we obviously talked then

subject. And we obviously talked then about the Middle East and he wants to be helpful. I said you could be more

be helpful. I said you could be more helpful by getting the Ukraine Russia war over with. That would be more helpful. But we had a very good talk and

helpful. But we had a very good talk and he wants to be very constructive. Yeah.

Please.

Yeah. Please.

Thank you, Mr. President. On Iran, you called it an excursion. You said it would be over soon. Are you thinking this week it will be over? Are you

talking about days?

I think so.

Okay. And and with respect to very soon look everything they have is gone including their leadership.

In fact there two levels of leadership and even actually as it turns out more than that but two levels of leadership are gone. Most people have never even

are gone. Most people have never even heard about the leaders that they're talking about. So uh it's obviously been

talking about. So uh it's obviously been very very powerful very effective to Cuba. You said that Cuba wants to

to Cuba. You said that Cuba wants to make a deal. What would the United States get in return for that? And why

should Americans trust Marco Rubio to negotiate it?

Well, Marco Rubio is doing a great job.

I think he's going to go down as the greatest secretary of state in history.

Look at what we've done as a as a presidency. Look at what we've done as

presidency. Look at what we've done as an administration.

Uh they trust Marco. Uh and so do the American people trust. He's been

successful no matter where he's been. He

also speaks the language which is always nice and always helpful. But he's

dealing and it may be a friendly takeover. It may not be a friendly take.

takeover. It may not be a friendly take.

It wouldn't matter because they're really in they're down to u as they say fumes. They have no energy. They have no

fumes. They have no energy. They have no money. They're in deep trouble on a

money. They're in deep trouble on a humanitarian basis. and uh we don't want

humanitarian basis. and uh we don't want to see that. But they were very very bad to a lot of people as you know and a lot of people living our the CubanAmerican

vote which I got at record levels uh very important. Those people are very

very important. Those people are very important to me. I know I know what they went through. They went through hell.

went through. They went through hell.

Some of them have gone on to be some of the most successful people in the country. CubanAmerican business people.

country. CubanAmerican business people.

Some of them are like the most successful in the country. And a lot of them are friends of mine because I've been fighting this battle with them for a long time. The Castro regime was

brutal, but they lived off Venezuela.

Now they don't live off Venezuela. Sends

them no energy, no fuel, no oil, no money, no nothing. They lived without Venezuela. They couldn't have made it.

Venezuela. They couldn't have made it.

And we cut them off from everything else. So, uh, yeah, we're they're going

else. So, uh, yeah, we're they're going to make either a deal or we'll do it just as easy anyway. Yeah.

Please go ahead.

Tomahawk missile likely destroyed that Iranian girl school. So will the Americans will the US accept any responsibility?

Well, I haven't seen it and I will say that the Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by, you know, is sold and used by other

countries. You know that. And whether

countries. You know that. And whether

it's Iran, who also has some tomahawks, they wish they had more, but uh whether it's Iran or somebody else, the fact that a tomahawk, a tomahawk is very

generic. It's sold to other countries,

generic. It's sold to other countries, but that's being investigated right now.

Yeah, please.

Thank you. Uh Mr. President, you've said the war is quote very complete, but your defense secretary says this is just the beginning. So which is it? And how long

beginning. So which is it? And how long should Americans be?

Well, I think it could say it both. the

beginning. It's the beginning of building a new country, but they certainly they have no navy. They have

no air force. They have no anti-aircraft uh equipment. It's all been blown up.

uh equipment. It's all been blown up.

They have no radar. They have no telecommunications.

And they have no leadership. It's all

gone. So, you know, you could look at that statement. We could we could call

that statement. We could we could call it a tremendous success right now as we leave here. I could call it or we could

leave here. I could call it or we could go further and we're going to go further. But uh

further. But uh the big risk on that war has been over for three days. We wiped them out the first in the first two days. When you

think about it, it's incredible. We

wiped out a big navy, very powerful navy. You know, these were ships. These

navy. You know, these were ships. These

were serious ships. These were ships that you buy when you want to win battles. are all

battles. are all they're all on the bottom floor. The

sailors are all running off the ships.

They refuse to get on the ships. Uh the

air force is gone. Everything's gone.

The missiles are down to a trickle. The

drones are down to probably 25% and they'll be soon be down to nothing.

We'll have the where they manufactured the drones are under fire as we speak.

They're being hit. So the rest is going to be a determination as to my attitude along with the people in the Trump administration what we want to do.

Thank you.

Yeah, please.

Can I ask you, you mentioned you were going to wave certain additional oil waiverss or sanctions. Can you talk a little bit more about that and address in particular?

Well, we're looking the oil prices down.

We went artificially up because of this excursion into a very positive thing. I

mean, this was an excursion that a lot of people wouldn't have done. I knew oil prices would go up if I did this, and they've gone up probably less than I thought they'd go up, but I don't think

anybody thought we were going to be this quickly successful. This was a military

quickly successful. This was a military success the likes of which uh people haven't seen. We have the best military.

haven't seen. We have the best military.

We have the best equipment. We have,

I believe, the best generals. We have

the best. And this went very quickly. Uh

we talked about that with President Putin. He was very impressed with what

Putin. He was very impressed with what he saw because nobody's ever seen anything quite like it. You know, Iran was a very powerful military country, a man with all of the missiles. Now, you

had the double attack. You had the original attack with us and Israel and that knocked them for a loop. Then you

had the B2 bombers which took out their nuclear capability and they would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks to four weeks and they would have used it long before this press conference and we

might have had a much different press conference if we had a press conference at all. Uh but it's been amazing. The

at all. Uh but it's been amazing. The

the military success that we've had is truly unprecedented.

Uh you said you've told your congressional colleagues that you will not sign any piece of legislation until the Save America Act is passed. Does

that include the confirmation of Senator Mullen as your next DHS secretary? Does

that mean a DHS funding bill? And

Senator Thun said today it's not a matter of whether or not your Republican colleagues agree with the policy. It's

about changing the process. In other

words, getting rid of the filibuster to get So in order to get it, you're going to need Democrat votes. And what we're saying is the Save America, not the Save Act, which nobody knew what it was, the

Save America Act. The Save America Act.

And that's voter ID. We want voter ID.

When a voter, we want to be able to see a picture of the voter. We want to be able to see that the voter is legitimate. We want very importantly

legitimate. We want very importantly confirmation that this voter is a citizen of the United States of America.

And we want no in no mail-in ballot scams. So we have exceptions for the military, for sick, for disabled, and for people

that are away, business trips or whatever. Even vacations will be very

whatever. Even vacations will be very liberal in that. We've added two things to it. No men and women sports and no

to it. No men and women sports and no transgender mutilization of our children. We don't

want our the the it's mutilization of our children and we don't want that. So,

we added those two things. That's the

five points. We have five very good points. Uh, it polls at 86% with

points. Uh, it polls at 86% with Democrats.

Think of that. The overall vote is 86%.

With Republicans, it's 98%.

And the only one opposed to it is a Democrat leadership because they cheat.

They want to cheat. So, we added those two points. We're going for the gold and

two points. We're going for the gold and we're going to have to fight like hell.

Now, certain things will happen. Certain

things will take place. I'm here to do a great job for the country. But we don't have a country if we're going to have elections that are so corrupt and so

dishonest like we've witnessed over the last period of time. You know, as an example,

few I mean virtually nobody has like we nobody has a system of mailin ballots like we have. No other country in the world. France went away from it. They

world. France went away from it. They

all went, you know why? Because it's

corrupt. And Jimmy Carter, when he had a commission, frankly, I think it's probably the best thing Jimmy Carter did. He said, "You can't have mail-in

did. He said, "You can't have mail-in voting because it's inherently dishonest." And it's turned out to be

dishonest." And it's turned out to be totally dishonest. And we're going to

totally dishonest. And we're going to fight for it.

Yeah.

activated any sleeper cells inside the US. There's reports that they have

US. There's reports that they have pressed that trigger button to activate those cells at least abroad.

Well, we've been they've been trying for a long time. We've been very much on top of it. Uh, one of the things we have to

of it. Uh, one of the things we have to do is get the Democrats to stop the Democrat shutdown because, as you know, the apparatus that looks into that, Schumer and the Democrats have shut it

down, which tells you they probably hate our country a lot. But the Democrats have to open that up. But we've got very, very good uh intelligence into that. We know a lot of different things

that. We know a lot of different things that have happened that have been very bad. A lot of them came in during the

bad. A lot of them came in during the Biden open border period, but we have them under uh we we've got them. We've

we're watching every single one of them.

Yeah, we know a lot about them. The

biggest problem we have is the Democrat shutdown. We know a lot about him, but

shutdown. We know a lot about him, but the shutdown doesn't allow us to do what we have to do.

Do you have to take him out? Does he

have a target on his back?

You mean the new supreme leader? You

mean the son?

How can there be an Iran?

Well, I don't want to I don't want to say that, but you know, I was disappointed because we think it's going to lead to just more of the same problem for the country. So, I was disappointed

to see their choice.

You you've said you have someone in mind to be the new Iranian leadership if not the Ayatollah's son.

What are you looking for in that person?

Are you looking at someone internal given that you just said that their leadership has been I like the idea of you know internal and eternal come to think of it but I like

the idea of internal because it works well. Well, I mean, I think we've proven

well. Well, I mean, I think we've proven that so far in Venezuela. We have a woman, Deli, who has been, you know, president of the country, very

respected, very, she's doing a great job. And it's, you know, no disruption.

job. And it's, you know, no disruption.

We had, as you remember, Iraq, everybody got fired. The military got fired, the

got fired. The military got fired, the police got fired, the politicians got fired. There was nobody. And you know

fired. There was nobody. And you know what? They turned into ISIS. And we

what? They turned into ISIS. And we

don't want that. We don't want that. So,

uh, I would like to see people that are inside go. Now, they talk about the son

inside go. Now, they talk about the son of the sha, they talk about other people, but, you know, hasn't been there in many, many years. Uh, we have a

formula that's been very good so far and I think it'll continue to be good. The

relationship is extraordinary with Venezuela, smart country. We've taken

out a 100 million barrels of oil. right

now in Houston being uh being taken care of and made so beautiful and you have to see this at work. They have uh it's it's brought to the refineries. It's being

refined in Houston which is made exactly for that product and so far but it's a 100 million barrels of oil and now they have another hundred million barrels

coming and it's like a partnership.

We're getting along so well with them.

It's great for Venezuela and it's great for the United States.

Yeah, please go ahead. Mr. President,

you just suggested that Iran somehow got its hands on a tomahawk and bombed its own elementary school on the first day of the war, but you're the only person in your government saying this. Even

your defense secretary wouldn't say that when he was asked standing over your shoulder on your plane on Saturday. Why

are you the only person saying this?

Because I just don't know enough about it. I think it's something that I was

it. I think it's something that I was told is under investigation, but tomahawks are are used by others as you know. Numerous other nations have

know. Numerous other nations have tomahawks. They buy them from us. Uh but

tomahawks. They buy them from us. Uh but

I will certainly whatever the report shows, I'm willing to live with that report.

Yeah, please.

Um you said earlier that we've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough. What do you consider enough?

enough. What do you consider enough?

what your baseline where they're not going to be starting the following day to develop a nuclear weapon where they'll look at that man and some other people from the

administration and say all right we're not going to do it they were not willing to say that and when Steve called up and he said that to me I said well here we

go let's do it the hard way but the hard way I think is probably the easy way when basically I can see that they will no longer have any capacity whatsoever

for a very long period of time of developing weaponry that could be used against the United States, Israel, or any of our allies. We have great allies

in the Middle East, great countries that are allies.

And they were staying out of it until they got hit. Someday they'll have to do a story. Why did he do that? Why did

a story. Why did he do that? Why did

they do that? But they were going to hit them. If I didn't hit them first, they

them. If I didn't hit them first, they were going to hit our allies first. I

believe upon information and belief but I believe that he was going to uh he was they were going to take over the Middle East. They were looking to take over the

East. They were looking to take over the Middle East. Now had Operation Midnight

Middle East. Now had Operation Midnight Hammer not taken place that was definite because they would have had a nuclear weapon within a matter of weeks. But

that took place that was a setback. But

look at the number of missiles they were able to buy and make over the last six months. And those missiles were aimed at

months. And those missiles were aimed at various countries. And when you look at

various countries. And when you look at a thousand over a thousand missiles shot at like UAE, they were looking to take over the Middle East. We got there first. Lucky.

Middle East. We got there first. Lucky.

I'll tell you what, the Middle East and those countries, very rich countries are very lucky that I was president instead of somebody else.

US?

I don't think so. No. No. We get along very well on on this. He was uh I would say philosophically a little bit

different than me. I think he was uh maybe less enthusiastic about going, but he was quite enthusiastic.

But uh I felt it was something we had to do. I didn't feel we had a choice. If we

do. I didn't feel we had a choice. If we

didn't do it, they would have done it to us. I felt based on the negotiations

us. I felt based on the negotiations that were being had by Steve Woodco and Jared Kushner and Marco and Pete and everybody was involved. I felt that they

were going to that they were looking to tap us along before they hit and I thought they were going to hit. And if

they hit us first, that would have been a very bad thing. Uh in the back, please. In the back.

please. In the back.

about the straight. You mean? Yeah.

Well, I'm I want to keep it open. I want

to keep it good. You know, it doesn't pertain to us so much as it does to China. We're really helping China here

China. We're really helping China here and other countries because they get a lot of their energy from the Straits.

But hey, look, we have a good relationship with China. It's my honor to do it. Yeah.

You have called him an unacceptable choice. So, does he have a target on his

choice. So, does he have a target on his back? And how can you say

back? And how can you say I don't want to say whether or not he does because that would be inappropriate. But hey, look, I had a

inappropriate. But hey, look, I had a target on my back because as you people wrote pretty well, they caught the assassin that was after me. So, we just

got them first. But they caught the assassin. They have him now in custody

assassin. They have him now in custody that was after me. So, you know, but uh people don't like to mention that, but they they did catch him. And I'd like to congratulate our military, Secret

Service, FBI, all of the people that worked on that, but they did. Yeah,

please.

Go ahead. No, go ahead.

Thank Thank you, Mr. President. You

promised the Iranian people you would help them, but it sounds like you're willing to end this fight after your military objectives have wrapped up. Is

that Isn't that a betrayal of Will I help them? I'd like to if they can behave, but they've been very menacing. You know, they're great

menacing. You know, they're great people. They have an amazing

people. They have an amazing population. It's amazing, smart,

population. It's amazing, smart, brilliant, energetic. They have a great

brilliant, energetic. They have a great I'd love to help them, but they have to be in a system that allows them to be helped. And right now, they're in a

helped. And right now, they're in a system that only allows failure. And I

don't want that. And I want a system that's not going to be attacking us. We

want a system that can lead to many years of peace. And if we can't have that, we might as well get it over with right now. Yeah, please.

right now. Yeah, please.

President, as of today, there have been eight US military fatalities associated with the war in Iran. How many American deaths are you willing to have in this war?

Well, as I said before, uh when you have conflicts like this, you always have death. And I was at Dober yesterday. I

death. And I was at Dober yesterday. I

met the parents and they were unbelievable people. They were

unbelievable people. They were unbelievable people. But they all had

unbelievable people. But they all had one thing in common. They said to me one thing, every single one, "Finish the job, sir. Please finish the job.

job, sir. Please finish the job.

And I'll leave you at that. Thank you

very much everybody. Thank you.