Pool Report #10: a few more highlights

Highlights from the back half of the president’s spray with the PM and a photo so you can see who was in the room for yourself:

Asked what the holdup is in a ceasefire with Hamas:

“I don’t think there is a holdup.”

Will you leave with a deal tonight?

“Things are going along very well.”

He said then started about how the conflict lasted a few days and about how the US was shooting missiles out of the air and how the US was told what time they were coming – suggesting he was talking about the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

“I think things are going to be really settled down a lot in the Middle East,” he said, bringing up the sites that he said the US “knocked out.”

On a two-state solution and whether there can be an independent Palestinian state, he said the “age-old” question should go to Netanyahu:

"I think the Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us. That means a sovereign power, like overall security, will always remain in our hands. Now, that is a fact, and no one in Israel will agree to anything else, because we don't commit suicide. We want life, we cherish life, for ourselves, for our neighbors, and I think we can work out a peace between us and the entire Middle East with President Trump's leadership and by working together. I think we can establish a very, very broad peace that will include all our neighbors,” Netanyahu said.

Asked if he was concerned that Mamdani could try to arrest him if he came to New York City, the prime minister said: “I’m not concerned about that.”

President Trump replied, to laughter from his guests: “I’ll get him out.”

Netanyahu said that it was a silly in many ways and not serious and came back to a two-state solution. He said the Palestinians had a state “a Hamas state in Gaza, and look what they did with it,” bringing up the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“So people aren’t likely to say, let’s just give them another state and the platform to destroy Isreal. We’ll work out a peace with our Palestinian neighbors – those who don’t want to destroy us. We’ll work out a peace in which our security – the sovereign power security – always remains in our hands. While people will say it’s not a complete state, it’s not a state, it’s not that. We don’t care. You know. We vowed never again. Never again is now. It’s not going to happen again.”

As for Mamdani, the president chimed back in and said he’s “not a socialist, he’s a communist” who he thinks is “going through a little bit of a honeymoon right now.”

“It’s a philosophy that this country is not ready for and it never will be.”

On sending more weapons to Ukraine:

“We’re going to send more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now.”

He specified they would be “defensive weapons, primarily.”

Asked later if the conflict with Iran is over, Netanyahu said: “I’d like to believe that Iran would not test our fortitude because it would be a mistake.”

On regime change, the PM replied: “I think it’s up to the people of Iran.”

Near the end of the spray President Trump said he would “love to be able to at the right time take those sanctions off” and give Iran the chance to rebuild. He said that taking sanctions off Syria will also give Damascus a “great shot at making it.”

On tariffs at the end he also said the US is close to making a deal with India, while others, his administration met with and don’t think they will be able to make a deal with and will receive a letter telling them what the rate is.

“As far as I’m concerned, we’re done,” he said.

I am also done for the evening. Have a great night, everyone.

Francesca Chambers

White House Correspondent

USA TODAY

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