White House Press Briefing | Thursday, June 19, 2025
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Watch the White House press briefing live as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faces questions on Israel's war with Iran as President Donald Trump decides whether the United States will get involved.
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ICE officers are courageous heroes upholding the rule of law and keeping our citizens safe.
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Now, regarding the ongoing situation in Iran, I know there has been a lot of speculation amongst all of you in the media regarding the president's decision-making and whether or not the United States will be directly involved.
In light of that news, I have a message directly from the president.
and I quote, "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.
" That's a quote directly from the president for all of you today.
So, we'll kick it off for questions here in our new media seat.
We have Eli Lake from the Free Press.
Eli, go ahead.
Great.
Thanks so much for having us.
free press.
Um the uh decision to extend the um I guess delay in enforcing the Tik Tok ban.
Sure.
Can you talk about um whe how the White House understands its constitutional authority in light of the Supreme Court's decision in January that said that the president had to enforce the ban? Sure.
Well, as all of you know, because the president put it out on his truth social today, he did sign an executive order to extend Tik Tok the Tik Tok ban uh for 90 days.
So, in the effort to make a deal and the White House council uh and the Department of Justice have reviewed this executive order and I can get it for you.
I think it's on our website by now.
If it's not, our my team will now put it up immediately.
Um and you can read the language in that executive order and the White House Council's office and the Department of Justice strongly believe in the legal rationale for this executive order.
They wouldn't have the president's pen hit it if they didn't.
And the political reasoning for this, of course, is because the president made a promise to keep tick- tock talk on.
There are hundred a million Americans who use this app.
It's wildly popular.
He also wants to protect Americans data and privacy concerns on this app and he believes we can do both things at the same time.
So, he is making an extension so we can get this deal done.
Can I get a followup? Sure.
Um, a few weeks ago there Tucker Carlson reported on a meeting between the president, Mark Levin, and others at the White House.
Is there a leak investigation? And can you say who else was in that meeting? I'm not aware of a leak investigation at this time.
I for one do not reveal details about the president's private meetings without his permission to do so.
Uh but certainly the president does not like when people leak.
Uh he takes that very seriously.
This entire administration takes that seriously and that's why you've seen at agencies some of the cabinet secretaries have been given the authority by the president uh to let go of staff who are engaged in such leaks especially those that risk American national security.
Sure.
Go ahead Caroline.
Thank you.
Um, so Rhino Wararmonger Lindsey Graham, he recently called on the US to go all in.
That's quite the lead to a question, right? Um, what what's your message to everyday Trump supporters, not not the Tucker Carlson's or other big names, but everyday Trump supporters, grassroots who voted for President Trump to stop the wars, rejected this in the primary going into another war with voting against Nikki Haley.
um and they want to see non- US involvement in this war.
What's your message? Trust in President Trump.
Uh President Trump has incredible instincts and President Trump kept America and the world safe in his first term as president uh in implementing a peace through strength foreign policy agenda.
And with respect to Iran, nobody should be surprised by the president's position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
He's been unequivocally clear about this for decades.
Not just as president, not just as a presidential candidate, but also as a private citizen.
In fact, I have some quotes for you.
In 2011, President Trump said, "America's primary goal with Iran must be to destroy its nuclear ambitions.
We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists.
" Uh, in 2015, the president said, "The problem is that Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, our Middle Eastern allies, and the United States.
" And of course, the president has repeated that in his first term as president and his second term as president as well.
That's why he was adamantly opposed to the disastrous Iranian nuclear agreement that was implemented by uh President Obama.
And it's why he has uh given great latitude and given a lot of effort to achieving a diplomatic solution.
But he's been very clear.
Uh Iran uh went for 60 days when he gave them that 60-day warning without coming to the table.
Um, on day 61, Israel took action against Iran and as I just uh told you from the president directly, uh, he has he will make a decision within two weeks.
A followup.
Sure.
Go ahead, Natalie.
Thanks, Caroline.
Can you confirm whether Steve Wickoff has been in touch with the Iranian foreign minister? And does Wickoff plan to go to Geneva tomorrow for talks? I am not tracking that on Mr.
Witoff's travel schedule, but I can certainly check in with him to be sure.
Um, as for uh correspondence between the United States and the Iranians, I can confirm that correspondence has continued.
As you know, we were engaged with six rounds of negotiations with them uh in both indirect and direct ways.
Thanks, Kelly.
Just to clarify the president's statement just now when he says that he'll make a decision in the next two weeks, is he saying that if Iran does not come back to the negotiating table within the next two weeks that the president will strike? The president is saying that he will make a decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.
It's very clear and direct.
And is he seeing any signs of progress? He obviously is holding out hope for negotiations, but is he seeing any inklings of progress that give him that hope that talks are still possible? Well, that's why he said in the statement that I just read for all of you based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, he will make that decision within the next two weeks.
What makes him think there's still a substantial chance is my question.
I'm not going to get into the reasoning and the rationale.
The president believes that, but that's his position and he will make a decision within the next two weeks.
Caroline, thanks Caroline.
Um, President Trump has said previously in regard to Russia, he's used this um phrase about two weeks several times um in terms of like we expect like a twoe deadline and then you give another twoe deadline.
How can we be sure that he's going to stick to this one on making a decision on Iran? Well, in those deadlines as you've seen in respect to Russia Ukraine, might I add, these are two very different complicated con global conflicts as you know that the president inherited from our previous incompetent president in the weakness of the previous administration.
And the president has spent a tremendous amount of time and effort cleaning up these crises that were caused by the last administration's just complete dereliction of duty on the world stage and American weakness.
Now we have American strength again with respect to Russia and Ukraine.
Because of that American strength and the president's leadership, we have seen these two sides engage in direct negotiations.
And the last time the president said two weeks, you saw Russia and Ukraine have direct negotiations for the first time in years.
And so the president is always interested in a diplomatic solution to the problems and the global conflicts in this world.
Again, he is a peacemaker and chief.
He is the peace through strength president.
Um, and so if there's a chance for diplomacy, the president's always going to grab it.
But he's not afraid to use strength as well.
I will add Franchesca.
Thanks Caroline.
What exactly would a deal with Iran need to entail no enrichment of a uranium and uh it would absolutely not Iran is not absolutely not able uh to achieve a nuclear weapon.
The president has been very clear about that and by the way the deal that uh special envoy Whit proposed to the Iranians was both realistic and acceptable within its terms.
Uh and that's why the president is is sent that deal to them.
To follow up on what you told Natalie, are the talks that the United States is currently having with Iran direct or are those through intermediaries? And if so, which countries are acting as the intermediary right now? Out of respect for the ongoing discussions and negotiations, I am not going to get into the details of them.
Um, we've provided you confirmation for now.
Go ahead.
Sure.
And then behind you too.
Thanks.
Sorry.
On the topic of negotiations and and talks, does the president have any hopes or specific expectations for the talks tomorrow between European foreign secretaries and their Iranian counterpart? Uh well certainly the entire world is on the president's side when it comes to the fact that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
This is something that pretty much all of uh all of humanity except for the Iranian terrorist regime themselves agree upon.
And so the president expects that Europe Europe will uh deliver that message directly uh to the Iranians.
Why does uh President Trump believe that this 90-day extension on TikTok will provide more runway perhaps than the previous extensions that haven't led to a divestment deal? Because it's more time, more time to make a good deal.
Simple question.
Dasha, thank you so much.
Um I know things are going day by day right now.
The president wants maximum optionality.
Is the possibility of the US getting involved in regime change in Iran at all on the table at this point? And then I have one on Medicaid as well.
Sure.
The president's top priority right now is ensuring that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon uh and providing peace and stability in the Middle East.
And on Medicaid, Caroline, the Senate put forward Medicaid provisions, particularly a lower cap on state provider taxes that hospitals have said uh would lead to mass closures, particularly in rural communities.
Is the president willing to sign a bill that includes those provisions that Republican senators like Josh Holly say will lead to hospital closures? Out of respect for the ongoing discussions that the White House is very much actively involved in with our friends at the in the United States Senate, uh I won't comment on that specific provision.
Look, the bill hasn't been sent to the president's desk yet.
There's more room for change.
The president, for one, I will reiterate, has been very clear uh on his priorities with respect to Medicaid.
Uh he wants to see waste, fraud, and abuse ridden from the system uh to protect it for taxpaying citizens who deserve those muchneeded benefits.
He wants to prioritize um the sick, the needy, the poor in this country who deserve those benefits, not the 1.
4 million illegal aliens who are receiving them.
Uh and he wants to make sure this one big beautiful bill kicks those illegal aliens off of this program to preserve it and protect it and strengthen it for the American people.
And the president has been very clear in that message to his friends on in in the Senate.
Jackie, thank you.
Caroline, sure.
Logistically, if the Iranians are getting to Geneva, does that mean they found a way to get to the White House? I am not going to get into hypotheticals, but as you heard from the president yesterday, they have expressed interest in doing so.
There's a lot of pressure on the the president to come to the aid of Israel.
There's a lot of pressure on him to finish the job with force.
How is he balancing the concern that if he doesn't choose to do that that it would send a message to Xi Jinping about the US commitment to Taiwan? Well, the president enjoys a very respectful uh and cordial relationship with China's president.
He has long maintained that even in his first term.
Um and China and the United States share many strategic interests both in terms of economics and also of course um global affairs and foreign policy as well.
Um, however, when it comes to balancing these different viewpoints, the president is balancing a lot of viewpoints and he is uh listening not just to other world leaders but to his adviserss and to people here in the country and the American people too.
And I think that's what makes this president such a great leader is his ability to listen um and make a good decision on behalf of the American public uh based on his instincts um and his experience.
Don't forget this is a president who was here before and the world was a much more peaceful and stable place when he left office than when he came back in after the past four years of complete incompetence by the previous president.
Philip, go ahead.
Thank you, Caroline.
Uh, two quick questions.
When the president says Iran is very close to a nuclear weapon, is he relying on US intelligence or intelligence sharing from an ally to make that assessment? It is a fact uh and the United States government maintains this fact that Iran has never been closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon.
And then if the US were to take some type of military action, um would the president go to Congress to seek uh war authority? I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals.
I gave you the statement from the president.
He'll make a decision within two weeks.
Thank you, Carol.
Sure.
Go ahead.
Thanks, Caroline.
Harry and then Elizabeth.
Um two questions.
one on Iran and then the second on something J President Crockett said this morning.
So given that we know the Iranian government did order an operative to assassinate the president, is there concern that Iran might respond with uh non-traditional military ways uh to some kind of strike on Iran, such as another assassination attempt? And has the Department of Justice looked into this last attempt on the president's life? I I believe Secret Service and the FBI have looked into the two assassination attempts that took place um against the president, both of which were um sad days in our nation's history.
Um so I would defer you to the Department of Justice on where those investigations stand.
Um, but as for your question regarding um, Iranian retaliation, I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals again.
But I can assure the American public and the world that this administration is prepared and ready to defend American interests and assets, not just in the region, but here on our homeland as well.
And then really quick on Jasmine Crockett, she said, I believe that Trump supporters are mentally ill before calling for bipartisan support against the president.
Can you respond to that? Especially considering she's a rising star in the Democrat party right now.
She is a rising star.
It's quite something to behold actually.
Uh I hope that she continues to be a rising star uh for the Republican party at least.
Uh I think it's incredibly derogatory to accuse uh nearly 80 million Americans of mental illness.
Uh the last time I checked, Jasmine Crockett couldn't dream of winning such a majority of the public as President Trump did.
And the America First movement, which President Trump has built, is filled of hardworking patriots, the forgotten men and women, business owners, law enforcement officers, um nurses and teachers, and middle America, as we um all know, you know, from where you all grew up outside of this beltway.
That's who makes up this president's movement.
And Jasmine Crockett uh should go to a Trump rally sometime and she can see it for herself.
Jennifer, one on North Korea and one on China.
On North Korea, they launched some rockets into the ocean today.
What does the White House make of that? Do you read any meaning into that timing of that launch? And then on China, are you do you have any reaction to Xi Jinping's offer of getting intervening in Iran diplomatically? And are you seeing any signs that China would get involved militarily to support Iran? I don't believe we're seeing any signs of that at this moment in time.
As for Xi Jinping's offer, I will leave it to the president to respond to that himself.
As for your question about North Korea, we are monitoring the situation.
The Trump administration is in close contact with our new South Korean counterparts as we work together to deter our adversaries and preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Um, and no matter where, our adversaries and our allies alike know that President Trump will not tolerate threats against our interests on his watch, even as he works to resolve the wars that he inherited.
Question, Alex, go ahead and then I'll come to you.
Thank you.
Is the president concerned about the economy if farms and and hotels etc uh struggle to find workers? President's always concerned about the economy.
That's on his mind every day.
He wakes up, he checks uh the markets, he checks wage growth.
As I pointed out, it's a record high today for middle class and American workers.
So, the president's always uh wanting to ensure that we have a strong and robust economy for the American people and worker and we do.
Uh as for the specific concerns regarding jobs, look, the president has made it very clear we need to remove public safety threats from the interior of our country and that remains the focus and the priority of this administration when it comes to deportations.
No matter where somebody works, uh if they're an illegal alien rapist or murderer that was allowed into this country in the past four years by this administration, the American people want those types of criminals to be deported from our country and that's what the president is backing ICE to do.
Thanks.
the there was an apparent skirmish between the Chinese and the Philippines and the South China Sea.
Just curious if you had any reaction to that and if the steps you're taking towards the Middle East right now are reducing your capacity to deal with that situation.
I believe that happened as I was preparing and coming out here.
So, we'll get you a response to that.
Certainly, we have one and our teams are always monitoring situations all around the globe.
Okay.
And then one more just on Iran.
Just over the past 24 hours, we've seen some Israeli uh strikes on Natans at Isahan and Kond nuclear facilities.
Is there any assessment just of how effective or what the result of those strikes will be? Um what I can share is that the IDF and Israel I think have exceeded a lot of people's expectations in their ability um to really hinder Iran's uh nuclear facilities but also they've taken out key people in the Iranian regime's leadership as well.
So this is something of course we are monitoring and watching every day and the president uh is was just in an intelligence briefing.
Uh he continues to be briefed by his national security council and he will throughout the duration of this war and conflict and he also remains in constant communication uh with our Israeli counterparts most notably Prime Minister Benjamin Net Netanyahu.
Kristen thank you we have heard from a number of US officials who say that Iran doesn't want to make a deal that they are just stringing the United States along.
What is to say that they are not going to continue to do so if we don't if we continue to give them extensions now 2 weeks before 60 days? Look, Iran is in a very weak and vulnerable position because of the strikes and the attacks uh from Israel.
Um and with respect to the president's statement, I shared that with all of you.
Uh and he has been very direct and clear.
Iran can and should make a deal.
We sent a deal to them that was practical, that was realistic, or they will face grave consequences.
Why is Steve Wickoff not participating in the talks this week? Uh I can ask Mr.
Wickoff why he is not.
Thanks, Caroline.
Um, does the president object if Israel attempts its own operation against Fordo in the next two weeks? I won't decide that for the president, nor will I share that here.
I'll let him speak to that.
And then just uh another one.
Uh there Iran is apparently warning Europeans that if struck by the US, it may withdraw from the nuclear proliferation treaty that would result in throwing out inspectors and taking the program dark.
What does the president think um of the value of having Iran as a full signator of that treaty? Well, that's reckless rhetoric, but I understand the Europeans are meeting with the Iranians tomorrow, so we'll see how that meeting goes.
Just one more on um Junth.
Does the president plan to commemorate the holiday today or make any comment on it? I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today.
I know this is a federal holiday.
I want to thank all of you for showing up to work.
We are certainly here.
We're working 24/7 right now.
Nikki, go ahead.
Actually, that was my question.
Will he plan to mark Junth in any way either today or with an event later on, maybe next week? Sure.
I just answered that question for you.
Go ahead.
Thank you very much, Caroline.
Uh, the fact that this president is giving some time and space for diplomacy, another two weeks, does it mean that the president is trying his best to avoid a direct conflict with Iran? I think the president has made it clear he always wants to pursue diplomacy.
Uh, but believe me, the president is unafraid to use strength if necessary.
and Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most most lethal fighting force in the world and we have capabilities that no other country on this planet possesses.
Caroline Owen Caroline, good afternoon.
Uh the Supreme Court, as you know, has upheld Tennessee's ban on transgender medical procedures for minors, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, etc.
The White House reaction to that, please.
That's a huge victory for America's children and it's obviously something this administration believes strongly in that young minor children should not be allowed to be subjected to chemical castration and mutilation.
The president himself has taken very strong um orders or has signed very strong executive orders on this.
Um and we are grateful for Tennessee's efforts to protect our children and we are grateful the Supreme Court ruled uh on the side of the law but also on the side of protecting America's innocent children.
Elizabeth, go ahead.
Sorry, I skipped you earlier.
Okay, thank you so much.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new vetting procedures on student visas.
Will this serve as a model for vetting other foreign visas? For all foreign visas? Yes.
As you know, the president signed an executive order, I think it was one of the first he signed in the first week, to strengthen our vetting requirements in our vetting system here in the United States for all visas.
He directed the secretary of state to do that.
There was a pause in some of that vetting as you all know recently uh especially with respect to students from some certain countries.
Um but the vetting has continued and it's stronger than ever before.
As for specifics on how the vetting process has changed I would defer you to the department of state as you know they're in charge of things like that.
Um thank thank you.
Um to what extent is this twoe delay with Iran the result of interventions by the likes of Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Green or the entreaties of European leaders who want a deescalation? Look, the president hears all voices across the country and he makes decisions based on his instincts.
Uh, and he has always said diplomacy is his first option.
And is he still planning to attend the NATO summit next week? He is.
Yes, we will be departing from Washington on Monday morning and hopefully we'll see some of you there.
Aa, thanks Caroline.
Oil prices have been spiking over the last week.
Is the president watching the oil market and is that factoring into his decision-making in the Middle East? Again, as I said to I think Alex's question previously, the president is always watching and this administration is doing more than any in history to bring oil prices and gas prices here at home down uh for the American public.
They have been plummeting uh since President Trump's inauguration because of uh the executive action and the federal action this administration has taken on the home front.
But yes, of course, he's paying attention and monitoring that.
But as for whether it's weighing into his decision, um there's a number of factors that of course are.
And as I said, he will make that decision in the next two weeks.
Can't reiterate that enough.
Ouija Caroline, thank you.
Um, with regard to a potential deal, Iran has said it will not negotiate under duress.
Does the president believe there should be a ceasefire in these next two weeks as the US tries to broker a deal? That's not what he said in the statement he dictated to me, so I won't get ahead of the president or add anything additional to the statement that he gave me the liberty to share with all of you.
And just to follow up on how close Iran is to a nuclear weapon, can you clarify when the president said a few weeks away, did he mean obtaining enough enriched uranium to start building a weapon or did he mean Iran is a few weeks away from completing the production of a weapon? I'm glad you asked that, Ouija.
It's an important question and it's one, frankly, the media has been getting wrong.
Let's be very clear.
Uh Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon.
Uh all they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon which would of course pose an existential threat not just to Israel but to the United States and to the entire world.
And that is something that the entire world including countries like Russia is in agreement with that Iran should not and cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
And that's why the president believes that and he's believed that again not just his political career but frankly his entire life it's the former just to be clear they have the components.
Okay.
Thank you Michael.
Thank you Caroline.
As we look forward to the NATO summit next week Spain right now is threatening not to uh oblige the president's request for all NATO countries to spend at least 5% of their GDP.
Uh does the president take issue with this with Spain right now? I didn't see Spain's comments.
I'll make sure the president sees them and I can assure you he wants to see all European countries pay their fair share and meet that 5% threshold.
It's only fair considering the American taxpayers have given a significant chunk of money to the tune of billions of dollars uh to support our mutual interests in our assured defense.
So I will let him speak to that, but he's made his priorities for our European allies quite clear, including Spain.
Thank you, Caroline.
One last question.
When it comes to the president's position on foreign policy in general, is there a a phrase that the White House has coined? Is there a Trump doctrine? Does the president like to talk about this? Anyone here in the White House talking about this? And if so, if there is something akin to a Trump doctrine, how would you define it? America first, always.
And with that, I think I'll leave you.
I know there's a lot of news in the world right now.
As you know, our team is always here to answer your questions.
and the president, I am sure, will take more questions from you guys at some point this week as he always does in the effort of transparency.
I appreciate you being here on a federal holiday and we'll see you later.
