Pool report # 9 - more POTUS quotes on Iran, Israel, weaponization fund

Some final lines from the president in the Oval.

On weaponization fund:

Asked why he decided to drop the weaponization fund, Trump said that he loves the fund and "I think it's so important . . . frankly, we had a lawsuit that against us on the weaponization, where the judge, a radical left judge, ruled against it. And we'll see how that all works out, but a radical left judge ruled against it."

Asked later if it was dead or on pause, he said: "I'd have to ask the lawyers."

"Weaponization fund, as far as I'm concerned, was a beautiful thing."

On Iran:

He said, as he did last week, that there might be a deal this weekend.

He said "most of my people" would like to resolve the conflict through a deal "in writing... without killing everybody". He said "Some people wouldn't, but most of them would."

He said his request to include wording in the MOU to prohibit Iran from buying a nuclear weapon launched an additional "two-week negotiation" on the subject.

"In theory they're pretty close to signing a paper, we've actually gotten along with them very well."

Your pooler asked whether Iran had actually agreed to let the US come in and dig out its highly enriched uranium from under the rubble, as the president suggested last week in his Truth post about the deal that he was considering. Trump said: "Well, it depends on what day you're talking about. They did agree... It's one of the things we talk about. It's very overrated. I'm the one that overrated it. To me it's important. To other people, it's not important."

The stockpile is buried under the rubble. "We will go in sometime in the not too distant future." He said Space Force has "cameras [at] every angle... those three sites are being watched at all times. If anybody went there, we'll see exactly what's happening, and we'll blow it up a little bit further."

"But when it's over, as of this moment, it's agreed that we will go in with them. We will get it, and we will destroy it."

Your pooler asked about Lebanon. He said he is "trying

to separate" the issue of Israel's military campaign there from the Iran talks. Iran wants cessation of hostilities to make a deal.

Trump: "We actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time ever, we didn't know they spoke, and they agreed yesterday they're not going to shoot. Israel's not going to shoot. We're just going to see, but I'd like to separate it."

On Israel:

Trump said Israel "needed" the US to execute the Iran war and "got us to help them" on it.

Israel is a "great partner. Bibi Netanyahu has been for me a great partner. For other people, [he's] not so good. For me, he's been very good. We were very effective what we've done [in the Iran war], and they needed us. They couldn't have done it without us, couldn't have even come close, but and they needed us, and they got us to help them with a real problem, because Iran was a real problem, a big problem, a worldwide problem."

More Iran:

"Immediately upon signing the memorandum of understanding, the Hormuz Strait will open, and it'll open up quickly."

US minesweepers are there sweeping. "We've gotten most of them,"

On US strikes on Iran yesterday, Iranian strike on Kuwait:

"We hit them pretty hard the night before, and actually last night . . . There is a reason for certain things, and it's usually a reason that sometimes makes sense. But they did something, not a big deal, we got it, we nipped it in the bud very quickly, as we do in the greatest military in the world. But some people would say they were slightly provoked because we took a strong action for a different reason, so they were reciprocating."

On CNN:

At multiple points, Trump attacked CNN and reporter Kaitlan Collins, who stood across from him. First he called the network "crooked", and accused Collins of being a "beautiful woman [who] never smiles. I never see a smile off her face. I see her standing there with hatred in her eyes."

He attacked her again after she asked a question on the weaponization fund.

On China:

Xi is a "friend" and a "good man." "He's for China, I'm for the USA."

Again, check quotes against recording, and check my spelling of names!

--

Abigail Hauslohner

Financial Times

US-Middle East Foreign Affairs Correspondent

[EMAIL ADDRESS]