Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, Mar. 30, 2026

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AI GeneratedThe White House briefing details \"Operation Epic Fury,\" reporting the severe degradation of Iran's naval and missile capabilities. The administration is balancing military pressure with a diplomatic window for Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions. Domestically, the briefing addresses a DHS funding crisis affecting TSA operations and reaffirms a strict commitment to immigration enforcement and deportations.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Could you hear our amen in there?
We just said a little loud prayer as a team.
In this Holy Week, President Trump and the First Lady are joining in prayer with Christians
celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
On Wednesday, the President will host an Easter lunch in the East Room with faith leaders across
the country to celebrate Holy Week.
With respect to the ongoing major combat operations in Iran,
Operation Epic Fury is moving ahead successfully and according to plan.
With each passing day, the United States military is increasing its advantage over
the terrorist Iranian regime.
More than 11,000 enemy targets have been struck to date, each strike further crippling the
regime's offensive and defensive capabilities and creating more leverage for the United
States and our allies.
Compared to the start of the operation, Iran's ballistic missile and drone attacks are down
by roughly 90%.
The United States is also decimating the Iranian regime's navy.
We have destroyed more than 150 of their naval vessels so far, including 92% of their largest
vessels.
The Iranian navy has no vessels operating in major regional waterways and no ability
to project naval power, which is why they've been assessed as combat ineffective.
Our military continues to obliterate Iran's defense industrial base with nearly 70% of
their missile, drone, and naval production facilities and shipyards damaged or destroyed
thus far, significantly reducing their ability to pose future threats in the region.
U.S. and Israeli joint forces control the skies and have asserted air dominance over
Iran, completing more than 11,000 successful combat flights thus far.
The trend remains clear.
The United States is conducting more intense targeted strikes with devastating combat power
with each passing day to destroy the threat posed by the Iranian terrorist regime, as
President Trump sought out to do a month ago.
It's no surprise that we are seeing the remaining elements of the regime become increasingly
eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can.
Despite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks
are continuing and going well.
What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what's being communicated
to us privately.
As a result, President Trump issued a 10-day pause to postpone planned strikes on Iranian
power plants and energy infrastructure.
This remains a truly once-in-a-generation opportunity for the regime to make a good
deal with the United States, permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions, and stop acting as
the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism.
If the Iranians reject this golden opportunity, the greatest military in the history of the
world continues to stand by to provide President Trump with every option available to ensure
this regime continues to pay a grave price.
One way or another, Iran will no longer have the credible ability to threaten the United
States or our allies, which is, of course, the overall objective admission the President
set out when he launched Operation Epic Fury.
Unfortunately, even as President Trump is working hard every single day to protect the
United States from foreign enemies, Democrats on Capitol Hill have failed to do the same
here at home by keeping the Department of Homeland Security unfunded.
Over the past six weeks, Democrats in Congress have pushed our air travel system to its breaking
point and inflicted massive pain on Americans with their reckless political games.
Five hundred TSA officers quit their jobs.
Thousands more were calling out sick at record rates due to the lack of pay.
This resulted in security wait times exceeding three hours at major airports across the country,
creating nightmares for millions of Americans.
Overall morale among TSA staff plummeted as well.
All of this creating an unacceptable heightened security risk because of the Democrats unwillingness
to do their basic job of funding DHS.
President Trump determined that these circumstances constituted an emergency
compromising American security.
That's why last week he accordingly signed a presidential memorandum directing the Secretary
of Homeland Security to work with the director of the Office of Management and Budget here
at the White House to use those funds with a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations
to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them
but for the Democrat led DHS shutdown.
This bold and necessary action by President Trump will ensure our TSA workers receive
their hard-earned paychecks.
It should not have come to this point, but President Trump will always do what's right
by the American people and he found a way to do that to get TSA paid.
Ensuring that these federal workers who perform critical public safety responsibilities can
feed their families, pay their rent, and show up to work is something the president was
honored to do.
But this moment should be an eye-opening one for the American people.
Let's be clear about what is happening.
Democrat members of Congress are more than happy to put your safety at risk because they
oppose the president's administration and his administration's efforts to enforce our
nation's immigration law.
Democrats refuse to fund ICE because they want millions and millions of illegal aliens
to pour into the country just like they were under the Biden administration.
They want murderers and rapists and thugs to remain in your communities rather than
be removed by ICE and Border Patrol agents.
The Democrats created this mess.
They are the reason for long lines at airports and tens of thousands of employees going with
out pay.
Once again, President Trump is cleaning up their mess because he cares more about the
American people than destructive, petty, partisan politics.
With that, I will take your questions today.
Here in our new media seat, we have Wyd Lyman.
Thank you for being here and why don't you kick us off.
Thank you. Happy Easter.
Thank you. You as well.
I have two questions for you. Thank you.
There are some concerns the administration is starting to change its position on deportations,
border enforcement, possibly asylum policies.
What would you say to Americans that are somewhat concerned that the shift has happened?
Sure.
Well, while there has of course been a change in leadership at the Department of Homeland
Security with former Senator, now Secretary Mullen, joining the president's cabinet,
I can assure the American people there has not been a change in policy.
It has always been the policy of this president and this administration to deport the worst of
the worst illegal alien criminals from our communities.
That's something I know Secretary Mullen remains wholeheartedly committed to doing.
And it's something that is overwhelmingly popular with the American people.
And it's something that is necessary to protect our homeland and to prevent
deaths of Americans in our country.
Just last week, Sheridan Gorman, a young woman in Chicago, was shot and killed on the street,
walking with her friends outside of her university by a illegal alien from Venezuela who had no
right to be here in the first place. And it's despicable that Democrats are currently defunding
the department that's responsible for removing illegal aliens like that.
And I would also add it's despicable that the lack of coverage of this young woman's
case of her life and the way that it was tragically cut short.
I saw a survey over the weekend that I'd like to bring to all of your attention.
This is the media coverage of the case of Sheridan Gorman.
You have ABC News has spent one minute in 19 seconds between two days when this case
was first alerted. You have CBS, two minutes in one second.
You have NBC, 23 seconds spent on the life of a young, beautiful American woman
whose life was taken short by an illegal alien who should have never been here in the first place,
when we are in the middle of a battle on Capitol Hill with a major political party,
the Democrat Party, who wants to defund the agency that is responsible for protecting Americans.
I think her life was worth more than 23 seconds on cable television.
And I think the people in this room have a responsibility to report on cases like this,
because it just exemplifies why the President believes so strongly in deporting illegal
aliens from our communities. And thank you for the question.
Dasha, go ahead.
Caroline, I have two questions, one on Iran and one on DHS funding.
On Iran, the President has said that the administration is talking to
a new and more reasonable regime.
How confident are you that they are legitimate and have enough grip on power?
Marco Rubio said earlier that he's not sure and it's not clear whether they will be in power.
So are you also talking to other factions?
As the President is trying to make a deal,
how do you ensure that you're making a deal with the people who can actually implement it?
Well, that's part of the ongoing process that's taking place and the ongoing negotiations.
Of course, anything that they say to us privately will be tested,
and we will ensure that they are being held accountable to their word.
And if they are not, the President has laid out the
military consequences that the Iranian regime will see
if they don't hold true to the words that we are hearing privately behind the scenes.
When the President says more reasonable, again,
these folks are appearing more reasonable behind the scenes privately in these conversations
than perhaps some of the previous leaders who are now no longer on planet Earth
because they lied to the United States and they strung us along in negotiations,
and that was unacceptable to the President, which is why many of the previous leaders were killed.
So again, this is another historic opportunity for Iran to do the right thing,
to rid themselves of their nuclear ambitions,
and to come to a deal with this President and the administration.
Or again, they will see the grave consequences of the United States Armed Forces,
which they are continuing to see every day throughout this operation.
On DHS, how long can the administration keep paying TSA without action from Congress?
And not to be hyperbolic, but given the
air force were really the pain point that was pushing both sides to talk to each other,
do you see a way for DHS to reopen? Is it possible that this keeps going through the midterms?
Well, we certainly hope so. I mean, of course, the President just can't keep signing
presidential memorandums and proclamations every time Congress fails to do its job,
and every time Democrats are holding our entire country hostage, picking and choosing
which programs and agencies they want to fund just because they don't like this
administration's policies. That's not how it's supposed to work. They voted seven times against
funding DHS over partisan and political reasons. And so, again, the President has stepped in to
do the right thing at this moment in time, but the President is also encouraging Congress to
come back to Washington to permanently fix this problem and to fund and reopen the Department
of Homeland Security entirely. Caroline.
Stephen.
Thank you, Caroline. Two questions, one on TSA, one on Iran. On TSA, for ordinary Americans
watching the briefing, how long until everything goes back to normal at airports after the
President's action? And then on Iran, on the timeframe, President Trump initially said about
four weeks. Secretary of State Rubio on Friday reportedly said it might be another two to four.
Is two to four the current ballpark that the administration is thinking?
With respect to the timeline, again, the President, Commander-in-Chief,
the Pentagon has always stated four to six weeks estimated timeline for Operation Epic Fury.
We're on day 30 today. So, again, you do the math on how much longer the Pentagon needs to
fully achieve the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, which I will reiterate, destroy the Iranian
Navy, destroy their ballistic missiles, dismantle their missile and drone production infrastructure,
significantly weaken their proxies throughout the course of this operation, and then, of course,
preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
To your first question, Stephen, about TSA and airports, nothing will be truly normal again until
Democrats do the right thing to fund this agency fully. Again, the President has stepped in, in the
meantime, to do what's right to end this crisis that we've had at air travel and at airports
across the country in the meantime. But, again, Congress needs to come back. Democrats need to
fund the Department of Homeland Security so we can formally and fully get these great employees
paid long into the future.
Jonathan.
Thanks a lot, Caroline. Two questions regarding the financial cost of the war. Back during the
Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991, Arab countries paid for the vast majority of the cost of the war,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE. Who's paying for the cost of this war? Will those Arab countries
step up to do just that?
Well, I think it's something the President would be quite interested in calling them to do.
I won't get ahead of him on that, but certainly it's an idea that I know that he has and something
that I think you'll hear more from him on.
And then, secondly, the cost of diesel is averaging at $5.38 a gallon right now. What's
the message from the Trump administration to truck drivers who are dealing with those
high fuel costs right now?
Again, we understand. We hear you. We see you. We are fully tracking this short-term
fluctuation in oil and in diesel prices. And that's why the President and the administration
have continually announced robust actions to provide stability in the global energy market.
As you know, political risk insurance, one of those actions,
allowing countries to purchase sanctioned oil just to increase the supply in the meantime.
We've worked to release 400 billion barrels of oil and refined products as well. We issued
the 60-Day Jones Act waiver. All of this with the goal of increasing supply to create
stabilization in the market in the meantime.
But the overall message, as we've repeatedly stated, is, again, these are short-term actions
and short-term price fluctuations for the long-term benefit of ending the threat that
Iran poses to the United States of America, our troops, and our allies in the region,
and ensuring that this regime can no longer control the world's free flow of energy through
the Strait of Hormuz, which is something the administration continues to tackle day by day
as well.
Go ahead, Kelly.
Just two questions. Which Jennifer?
I'll go to both.
Go ahead.
So two questions, one on China and one on Iran. On China, ahead of the President's trip to
Beijing, will there be a working-level meeting with Secretary Pesent, Jameson Greer, et cetera?
And when will that be?
I do expect Cabinet officials to travel to China ahead of time. I don't have a readout
on their schedules for you, but this is something we typically do with international travel,
as you know. So I'll talk to the Treasury Department and the Cabinet myself,
and we'll get you that answer. But we do expect them to move ahead of time.
Okay. And thank you. And on Iran, if Iran is kind of cherry-picking what tankers get
to go through the Strait now and contemplating big tolls on those tankers, is that consistent,
or how is that consistent, really, with the President's message about really wanting the
Strait to be fully open? Does the administration support a regime or system where Iran is
effectively charging tolls on these vessels to access?
That's not something we support, and I would reject that they are cherry-picking. In fact,
as you know, these tankers that are moving through, the 10 that were previously announced,
and now the new 20, the announcement of 20 additional tankers, which we expect to see
over the coming days, are a result of the direct and indirect talks that are taking
place between the United States and Iran. So you wouldn't have seen those tankers,
if not for the President's diplomacy and his team engaging on this matter,
which we expect that compliance moving forward. And it's, again,
something that we're working on very closely.
Sure. And behind me, in the back right there, you put up your hand very excitingly. Go ahead.
Hannah from News Nation. Thank you.
Thanks for taking my question. I have two for you real quick. There are reports that
Republicans are weighing cuts to healthcare in order to make way for that $200 billion for
the Pentagon and Operation Epic Fury. Is that a trade-off that President Trump supports?
I've seen these reports. I haven't spoken to the President about it,
nor have I heard this being discussed in any high-level meetings here at the White House.
I don't want to weigh in definitively,
because I just haven't heard that being discussed here in the West Wing.
And then secondly, I know President Trump says we're ahead of schedule in achieving
his military objectives in Iran. He laid out that four-to-six-week timetable for this conflict,
and we're now within week five. So how do you square kind of those two?
Well, four-to-six-weeks estimated timeline. Again, you just said we're on day 30 of the operation.
I just provided you with some of the updates from the Pentagon directly in
achieving the objectives, and the military has been enormously successful. I think
we should all be very proud of our armed forces for what they have done over the past 30 days.
The mission will continue until the objectives are achieved, and that four-to-six-week timeline
does remain right now. I don't have any updates for you on that.
Like others, one on TSA, one on Iran. On Iran, I know it's tough to engage in hypotheticals,
but I feel like this is one that you could engage in if the President does seek —
Probably not.
If the President does seek or the United States seeks a ground war,
does he intend to get congressional authorization of that march?
Look, the President has been asked about boots on the ground or alleged ground operations
various times. He's obviously declined to rule them out. It's the Pentagon's job to provide
maximum optionality to the President. It does not mean he's made a decision,
nor would he ever notify the media of such decision as not to tip off our enemy.
With respect to abiding by Congress and the rule of law, that's something the administration
will, of course, always do. And it's something that we have great respect for Congress. The
President does with military operations. In fact, when — prior to the launch of Operation Epic
Fury, as you know, the administration gave a courtesy notice to Congress in the Gang of Eight,
and top-level administration officials and cabinet secretaries have gone to Congress
multiple times over the past 30 days to provide those courtesy briefings to Congress when requested.
On TSA quickly, I was — I've been asked by multiple Trump supporters that have said,
given the fact that the President on that Friday gave that memorandum informing DHS to pay TSA
workers — I know there's a lot of negotiations involved in a shutdown of this size — why did
the President not sooner issue that payment to TSA workers?
Well, it's because of the Democrats voting seven times against reopening the Department
of Homeland Security that we came to a place of an existential crisis. I mean, you saw the lines
at various major airports across the country, American travelers really paying the price for
Democrats' partisan games. And so the President worked with his legal team here at the White
House and the Office of Management and Budget to find a solution to take care of the emergency that
we were seeing in air travel across the country. And it's because of the President that TSA agents
are being paid. But again, he's calling on Congress to do the right thing, to come back
to Washington, and to fund and reopen the Department of Homeland Security fully.
Sure.
Hi. Lindsay Ellis from The Wall Street Journal. I'm trying to square the four objectives laid
out by the administration with the goal of reopening fully the Strait of Hormuz.
Would President Trump declare victory and wind down military operations if the four
objectives are met but still passage remains quite slow through the Strait?
Look, as I've said repeatedly and as the President has laid out, the objectives of
Operation Epic Fury are as follows — destroying the Iranian Navy, destroying their ballistic
missiles, dismantling their defense industrial infrastructure that produces those weapons that
have long threatened the United States and our allies, and then, of course, preventing Iran
from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. The full reopening of the Strait is something
the administration is working towards, but the core objectives of the operation
have been clearly defined for the American people by the Commander-in-Chief.
The President posted this morning about, you know, his threat that on leaving Iran,
blowing up and completely obliterating all of their electric generating plants, oil wells,
hard island, and possibly all desalinization plants. Under international law, striking
civilian infrastructure like that is generally prohibited. Why is the President threatening
what would amount to potentially a war crime with the U.S. military? And how do you square
that with the administration repeatedly saying that the U.S. does not target civilians?
Look, the President has made it quite clear to the Iranian regime at this moment in time,
as evidenced by the statement that you just read, that their best move is to make a deal,
or else the United States Armed Forces has capabilities beyond their wildest imagination,
and the President is not afraid to use them.
That's not what I said, Garrett. And you're saying the word potential for a reason,
because I'm sure some experts are telling you that in your ear to try to ask me that question.
Of course, this administration and the United States Armed Forces will always
act within the confines of the law. But with respect to achieving the full objectives of
Operation Epic Fury, President Trump is going to move forward unabated, and he expects the Iranian
regime to make a deal with the administration. Which of those objectives would destroying a
desalinization plant most help? Haley, go ahead. Thanks, Caroline. I want to follow up on John.
When you're describing that the Iranians you're in contact with are being more reasonable this
time around in discussions, what specifically are you hearing that is leading you to that
conclusion? And how are you defining what's reasonable versus unreasonable in that regard?
I'm not going to detail the private and sensitive conversations that are taking place between the
United States and Iran right now. But generally speaking?
Generally speaking, the President gave you the answer. What we're hearing from them is
more reasonable. They have agreed to some of the points the United States laid out,
as the President said last night, aboard Air Force One. But again, as for the specifics,
as these negotiations are ongoing, we're not going to broadcast them to the world unless the
President chooses to do so, which he has the full right to do as the leader of the free world.
On Cuba, the President threatened to tear any country that would send oil to Cuba. But now,
the U.S. is letting this Russian tanker to Cuba. Is this a policy change,
or is he willing to let more tankers into Cuba now?
This is not a policy change. There has not been a formal change in sanction policy.
As the President said last night, we allowed this ship to reach Cuba in order to provide
humanitarian needs to the Cuban people. These decisions are being made on a case-by-case basis.
As the administration has said, Cuba's non-functional economy cannot be fixed
unless they undergo dramatic political and leadership change. But there has been no
formal change with respect to sanction policy.
So you could expect more tankers to go to Cuba?
Again, these decisions are being made on a case-by-case basis right now.
Thanks, Carolina. You addressed this a little bit in the opening, but just to follow up,
because Americans are sort of seeing these conflicting messages between the United States
and Iran. I know the President insists that negotiations are underway. As you just mentioned,
he's also said that Iran has agreed to most of the 15 points. We just heard from Iran again.
They're saying no negotiations are taking place. They're calling the proposal excessive,
unrealistic. So how do you square that? How do you explain that discrepancy between the two?
I think the American people are smart enough not to take the word of a terrorist regime that
has chanted death to America for 47 years at their word. And I hope the journalists in this
room are wise enough not to take an Iranian regime that has repeatedly lied about our country,
about our values, about everyone in this room, frankly, for nearly five decades. So I think the
American public are smart enough to understand that.
And just to follow up on the objectives, you've laid them out, but I know the President has set
a deadline for April 6th in just one week. What does the President need to see to not move forward
with those strikes by April 6th? I think he said it in his True Social
Post this morning. He wants to see a deal over the next 10 days. That timeline is waning,
several days left. And we'll see. I won't get ahead of it. We'll see what happens at the end
of the 10-day period. Go ahead. Caroline, thank you. One on Iran,
one on the shutdown. The President continues to say the U.S. is in conversations with
a more reasonable regime, but there are now hundreds of U.S. special operations forces,
including Navy SEALs and Army Rangers in the Middle East, as well as thousands of
other troops already deployed. So is he trying to end or intensify the conflict?
The President is focused on achieving the objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
With respect to forces that are on the ground in the Middle East, it's the job of the Pentagon
to create maximum optionality for the Commander-in-Chief. It does not mean
the President has made any additional decisions. Again, he remains focused
on ensuring that the Pentagon continues to achieve the objectives of the operation. That was launched
30 days ago, and we're well on our way to doing that. So if an American is sitting at home
hearing him say, I want to talk, but I keep seeing them send troops to that region,
what are they to make of what's going on? There's two tracks here. The President has
always said that diplomacy is his number one option and priority. Again, he tried earnestly,
in good faith, to engage in diplomacy with the Iranian regime prior to this operation being
launched in the first place. He wanted to strike a deal, and he sent his top negotiators to do so.
They spent extensive amount of time and effort trying to strike a deal, and unfortunately,
the previous regime, again, many of those leaders no longer with us here on Earth because they
faced the consequences of the United States military. So if there's ever a chance for a
deal, again, the President is open to listening, but it does not deter him from focusing on the
military objectives that he set out 30 days ago and that our military is continuing to achieve
day by day. On the shutdown, he signed the national emergency order last Thursday,
making sure TSA officers will be paid. There's still other civilian DHS employees, however,
who are not being paid. Yes. Did he sign something similar to ensure they also get paid?
Look, the President will always look into ways that we can make sure that the American people
are being taken care of and doing what's right by the American people. But again, it's ridiculous
that the President even has to go to the length of working with the legal team and the Office
of Management and Budget to identify these funds. It is the job of Congress to fund these agencies,
and Democrats in Congress have voted seven times against funding the Department of Homeland
Security. Congress should come back, and they should get it done. The President, again,
made the decision to prevent this existential crisis we were seeing at our nation's airports
across the country. That was only going to get worse, and that's why he wants Congress to do
his job. Thank you, Caroline. Since you mentioned Easter and prayers, I wanted to ask you about
something the Pope said yesterday. So Pope Leo said yesterday, and I quote him,
God does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war. Can you comment on that?
I think our nation was a nation founded 250 years ago almost on Judeo-Christian values,
and we've seen presidents, we've seen the leaders of the Department of War,
and we've seen our troops go to prayer during the most turbulent times in our nation's history.
And I don't think there's anything wrong with our military leaders or with the President
calling on the American people to pray for our service members and those who are serving our
country overseas. In fact, I think it's a very noble thing to do. And if you talk to many service
members, they will tell you they appreciate the prayers and support from the Commander-in-Chief
and from his Cabinet. Caroline, thank you. President Trump told the New York Post that
a response is coming shortly to Tehran attacking Israel's largest oil refinery.
Is there a timeline on that? Is that tied to the success or not of the negotiations?
I don't have any updates for you on the President's comments.
So, Senator, the IRGC, and its role of Iran?
Well, look, as Secretary Rubio said today, the leadership is very fragmented. We have really
neutered their intercommunication systems, and that's part of this process of diplomacy,
to continue figuring out exactly who's in charge. I know they appointed a new Ayatollah. I haven't
seen or heard much from him. And so that's part of this diplomatic process that's underway right now.
I'll take a few more.
Thank you. You listed the described humanitarian reasons for allowing that oil tanker to reach
Cuba. Just to clarify, why was the administration okay with Russia sending that oil to Cuba and not
other nations?
Look, again, this was a decision. It'll continue to be made on a case-by-case basis for
humanitarian reasons or otherwise, but there's been no firm change in our sanctions policy.
The President's shock bomb of Mexico also said that Mexico is exploring different ways to restart
some of those shipments to Cuba. Is the administration okay with that at this time?
Again, there's been no change in our sanction policy. We still reserve the right to seize
vessels if it's legally applicable that are headed towards Cuba and that violate the United States
sanction policy. But, of course, the President and the administration also reserve the right
to waive those seizures on a case-by-case basis.
And to clarify, just any more Russian oil tankers going to be allowed to reach Cuba at this time?
I know you say case-by-case, but for the case of Russia, is it pretty much green light right now?
No, that's not what I said. It's a case-by-case basis.
Sure, Jeff, go ahead.
Switching topics, the President has always attended CPAC. He did not this year.
Why did he not attend, and does he believe CPAC is becoming less relevant?
No, I don't think he believes that at all. In fact, he loves CPAC and has a very good
relationship with the great people who run it, Mercedes and Matt Schlapp. It was just
simply for scheduling purposes this year, with it being in Texas.
It was best for the President's schedule and what he has on his plate right now not to go.
Michael.
Thank you, Caroline. If and when a deal is finalized with Iran,
how does the U.S. provide protection to who it's negotiating with
to ensure that they can carry out the President's peace plan?
Again, that's something I'm sure our national security team is discussing. I don't have
anything for you on that today.
Can you tell us more about this massive military complex
underneath the President's new ballroom?
I cannot tell you more about that, actually, as a matter of fact. However, the military is
making some upgrades to their facilities here at the White House, and I'm not privy
to provide any more details on that at this time.
Caroline, go ahead.
Reagan.
Thanks, Caroline. A question on the Middle East and then a question on Antifa.
Netanyahu said Sunday that Colonel Pizzaballo will be able to hold services for Palm Sunday
in the Church of Holy Sepulchre after he was initially blocked by Israeli police.
Did anyone from the administration or the President call over to Israeli officials
to assist the Cardinal in this?
Yes. I did speak with Secretary Rubio this morning, and we did express our concerns
with Israel with respect to these holy sites being shut down. We want worshippers to be
able to access these holy sites. Of course, safety is a top priority, but we understand
Israel is working on those security measures to reopen the sites throughout Holy Week,
and that's something that we're appreciative of.
Caroline.
Antifa.
Caroline, go ahead.
Sure.
In Texas, nine people have been convicted by a federal jury on domestic terrorist
charges connected to Antifa. The White House has previously indicated that you guys are
investigating Antifa, who's funding them, who's leading them. Can you provide an update on how
that investigation is going, and do you think we're going to see more charges against people
connected to Antifa?
Well, I do know that there was an entire task force that was set up, an interagency task
force, to focus on the threat of Antifa, which, as you know, Reagan, this President, declared
a domestic terrorist organization rightfully, and we will continue to look into it. I don't
have any updates on those specific investigations, but I'd be happy to have my team get those over
to you today, as this continues to be of the utmost importance to the President and his domestic
policy agenda.
Caroline.
Caroline, JJ.
One question on landmines. There's been some reporting that American-made landmines have
been spotted on the ground in Iran. Did President Trump sign off on using U.S.-made landmines in
Iran?
I don't have any comment on that report today.
Caroline.
Whether they're being used at all?
I don't have any comment on that.
Caroline.
Caroline, two on DHS. You said that the President is encouraging Congress to come back to D.C.
You also said yourself. How has he done that? Has he told leadership that they should cancel
recess and come back?
He's said it repeatedly. I think you recall. He said that he'll host a big Easter dinner here
at the White House if Congress will come back and fight the Democrats on this issue,
which we should do, because, again, Democrat Party is in the wrong here. They have voted
seven times against funding the Department of Homeland Security, which is completely
egregious with everything we have going on in the world. And these brave men and women
who serve DHS deserve to get their paychecks. The President wants to see that happen, and
he wants Congress to come back to get it done on the paychecks.
Thank you, Caroline.
Thank you.
