In-Town Pool Report #7: Trump Quotes

On the potential for negotiations with Iran, Trump said that it was difficult to know who to negotiate with after the strikes given the multiple fatalities among Iranian leadership. "I don't know if they're ready yet," he said of the appetite for talks. "They're taking a pounding," he continued. "I don't know if they're ready yet, and we don't even know their leaders. Look all of their leaders are dead, as far as we know, but they're all dead. We don't know who we're dealing with."

Trump said that a past president spoke with him and expressed regret over not striking Iran in the past. "I've spoken to a certain president who I like, actually, a past president, a former president. He said, 'I wish I did it. I wish I did,' but they didn't do it."

When pool followed up to ask which of his predecessors had told him that, Trump replied, "I can't tell you. I don't want to embarrass him. It'd be very bad for his career."

When asked about AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks calling for the US to declare victory and leave, Trump said "no" Sacks "has not" voiced that opinion to him. Concerning Sacks' fear that Israel would consider using a nuclear weapon if the war drags on, Trump said "Israel would never do that."

"You pounded them to hell, and you can just leave now, and it will take 10 years for them to build back, not nearly what they have right now. And I guess that's another theory," he said of the idea of just declaring victory and leaving. "But we want to have it ended so that another president doesn't have" [to deal with the Iranian threat in the future].

Asked about what countries may join US efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the president replied, "I'd rather not say." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he said, "will be announcing." Some of the unnamed allies, he continued" are "fairly local" while others are farther away and "have to travel an ocean."

Trump said "I did" talk with the Israelis about a potential Israeli invasion of Lebanon, adding that "Hezbollah is a problem. It's been a problem for a long time...it's a certain area."

Check quotes against transcript.

Best,

Philip Wegmann

White House Reporter

RealClearPolitics

P: (260)715-7867

T: @PhilipWegmann