Posted originally on CTH on June 17, 2025 | Sundance
After departing the G7 in Canada, President Trump held a press availability aboard Airforce One at approximately 1:00am. President Trump and Secretary Rubio were returning to the White House early to address issues of concern in the Iran-Israel conflict. WATCH (prompted):
The president’s entire national security apparatus are assembled in the White House today (Tuesday) as the principals review events from the situation room.
Jennifer Jacobs (Bloomberg) provides a solid recap of the AF1 presser. “Trump wants “a real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran and this morning will find him in the White House Situation Room, monitoring developments in Middle East, he told us during his midnight departure from Canada.
“I didn’t say I was looking for a ceasefire,” he said on AF1. He said he wants “a real end,” with Iran “giving up entirely” on nukes.
The Israelis aren’t slowing up their barrage on Iran, he predicted. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far.”
Asked his thinking on calling for Tehran to evacuate, he told me he wants “people to be safe.”
He needs to be present at the White House, not Canada, where he can be “well versed” and not have to rely on phones to know what’s happening, he said.
Trump sounded undecided about sending Witkoff and/or VP Vance to meet with Iran. “I may,” he said. But “it depends what happens when I get back,” he said.
On any threat to US interests, he said Iran knows not to touch our troops. US would “come down so hard if they do anything to our people,” he said.
Trump declined to say if the chairman of joint chiefs and SecDef have provided him with planning options should Iran attack U.S. bases in Middle East. “I can’t tell you that,” he told me.
Trump told me “we’ll be talking to them” when asked if the Gang of Eight was briefed on anything yet. But “it’s not necessary,” he said.
Asked if US involvement would destroy Iran nuclear program, hope their program “is wiped out long before that.”
Iran is “very close” to a nuclear weapon, he said. “I don’t care what she said I think they were very close to having them,” Trump told us on AF1 when asked about Tulsi Gabbard testimony in March.
I asked him about efforts to help Americans leave the region, with commercial airspace closed, and he said admin “working on that. We’re doing the best we can.”
“I haven’t seen it,” he told me when I asked if any signs North Korea or Russia more involved in aiding Iran.
I asked him about his strategy for Senate confirmations, given only 3 of 6 defense undersecretaries confirmed so far. He said Thune is doing a very good job, but Dems “hold up our nominations.” He’d like the process to go faster, he said.
Scott Bessent and a couple others stayed behind to meet with G7 leaders, he told me. (Rubio is on AF1 with us.)
But he did all he needed at the gathering, he said.
He said he hadn’t seen the G7 statement yet but he “authorized them go say certain things.” Carney did a good job hosting, he said. {LINK}
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