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Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters Before Marine One Departure - March 11, 2026

12:00 AM
Question 00:00:00-00:00:07 (7 sec)

Mr. President, a few questions. Mr. President?

Donald Trump 00:00:07-00:00:24 (18 sec)

It's day 11 and, as you know, we're doing something that nobody ever thought was possible to do. Our military is the best. It's the most powerful in the world and they're hitting them very hard. This is 47 years of abuse and killing lots of people -- killing and maiming lots of people. What is it, Peter?

Question 00:00:24-00:00:29 (4 sec)

Mr. President, what more do you need to do militarily for this operation to end?

Donald Trump 00:00:29-00:01:03 (34 sec)

More of the same, and we'll see how that all comes out. Right now, they are -- they've lost their navy, they've lost their air force. They have no anti-aircraft apparatus at all. They have no radar. Their leaders are gone. And we could do a lot worse. We're leaving certain things that if we take them out or we can take them out by this afternoon, in fact, within an hour, they literally would never be able to build that country back.

Question 00:01:03-00:01:14 (11 sec)

A new report shows -- a new report says that the military investigation has found that the United States struck the school in Iran. As commander-in-chief, do you take responsibility for that?

Donald Trump 00:01:14-00:01:15 (1 sec)

That is what?

Question 00:01:15-00:01:24 (9 sec)

As commander-in-chief, do you take -- the strike on the school in Iran. A new report says the military investigation has found it was the United States that struck the school.

Donald Trump 00:01:24-00:01:27 (2 sec)

I don't know about it.

Question 00:01:27-00:01:37 (11 sec)

How do you respond? Mr. President, how do you respond to that? Are you talking to the CEOs of various oil companies, encouraging them to use the Strait of Hormuz right now?

Donald Trump 00:01:37-00:01:41 (4 sec)

I think they should. I think they should use the Strait.

Question 00:01:41-00:01:42 (1 sec)

How do you respond?

Donald Trump 00:01:42-00:02:02 (20 sec)

Look, we took out just about all of their mine shafts in one night. We're up to boat number 60. I didn't realize that that big a Navy. I would say it was big and ineffective, but every one of their ships -- just about all of their Navy is gone. It's at the bottom of the sea. I hope you're impressed.

Question 00:02:02-00:02:18 (17 sec)

Have they laid any mines in the Strait of Hormuz? Mr. President, Mr. President, how do you respond -- Is Senator Thune listening to you when you say you want to pass the SAVE America Act? He says there aren't the votes to do it right now. What's your response?

Donald Trump 00:02:18-00:02:46 (28 sec)

He's got to be a leader. You know, if he's a leader he's got to get them. It's the most popular bill I've ever seen put before Congress, and it's voter ID and it's voter -- you have to be able to be a citizen to vote. You've got -- it's called citizenship. And we're also adding in no men playing in women's sports, no transgender mutilation of our children, and no mail in ballots, fake mail, in ballots.

Donald Trump 00:02:46-00:02:52 (6 sec)

We have none of that, except in the case of the military, etc.

Note 00:02:52-00:02:52 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Donald Trump 00:02:52-00:03:01 (8 sec)

I will say it is the SAVE America Act. It's the most popular bill I think I've ever put before Congress.

Note 00:03:01-00:03:01 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:03:01-00:03:12 (11 sec)

What's your message to Democrats? Can you declare victory in this war if the Supreme Leader remains the Ayatollah's son?

Donald Trump 00:03:12-00:03:37 (24 sec)

I don't want to comment on that. I don't want to comment, but I will tell you, I just spoke with various countries and leaders of various countries, you'll have a list, and they said they've never seen anything like it. We have -- and I built it during my first term and I used it. I didn't realize I was going to use it this much, but we have the greatest military in the world by far, nobody close.

Note 00:03:37-00:03:37 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:03:37-00:03:42 (5 sec)

domestic terror attack backed by Iran here, sir?

Donald Trump 00:03:42-00:03:42 ( sec)

No.

Question 00:03:42-00:03:56 (14 sec)

Are you taking oil from the SPR? Mr. President? [Inaudible] To the Shield of the Americas? Mexico, Brazil and Colombia were not invited to the Shield of the Americas. Why was that? And could they come in the future to the event?

Donald Trump 00:03:56-00:04:02 (6 sec)

They were invited. Maybe they didn't come, I think they were. I get along very well with all of them.

Question 00:04:02-00:04:14 (13 sec)

Mr. President, President in Iraqi Parliament, few days member slogan, Death to America, Death to Israel. What is your response to them? What is your message for Iraqi government?

Donald Trump 00:04:14-00:04:16 (2 sec)

What did he say?

Question 00:04:16-00:04:23 (7 sec)

In Iraqi parliament, slogan Death of America, Death of Israel, member of parliament.

Karoline Leavitt 00:04:23-00:04:26 (3 sec)

Death to America, Death to Israel, what's your response to that?

Donald Trump 00:04:26-00:04:28 (3 sec)

That's not a nice question.

Question 00:04:28-00:04:39 (10 sec)

Even after you told them that you would cut ties with them, are they cooperating with the United States in Spain?

Donald Trump 00:04:39-00:04:48 (10 sec)

No, they're not. I think they're not cooperating at all. Spain? I think they've been very bad. Very bad, not good at all. We may cut off trade with Spain.

Question 00:04:48-00:04:53 (4 sec)

You would cut all trade -- all trade with them?

Donald Trump 00:04:53-00:05:05 (12 sec)

I don't know what Spain is doing. They've been very bad to NATO. They get protected. They don't want to pay their fair share. And they've been that way for many years, actually.

Note 00:05:05-00:05:05 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Donald Trump 00:05:05-00:05:14 (9 sec)

The good news. Let me give you the good news. The people of Spain are fantastic, the leadership -- like you, the leadership not so good.

Note 00:05:14-00:05:14 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:05:14-00:05:24 (10 sec)

In Lebanon, Lebanon is under attack and Hezbollah is making danger for the Lebanese and especially the Lebanese Christians. What is your message for Lebanon?

Donald Trump 00:05:24-00:05:35 (10 sec)

We're working at it very hard. We love Lebanon. We love the people of Lebanon. And we're working very hard. We've got to get rid of the -- Hezbollah has been a disaster for many years.

Note 00:05:35-00:05:35 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:05:35-00:05:44 (9 sec)

A new oil refinery going up in Brownsville, Texas. What do you want Americans to know about that?

Donald Trump 00:05:44-00:05:45 (1 sec)

About what?

Question 00:05:45-00:05:49 (4 sec)

About the new oil Refinery going up in Brownsville, Texas.

Donald Trump 00:05:49-00:06:04 (15 sec)

Great. It's going to be the greatest anywhere in the world. There's never been anything like it. It's great that it's going up in Texas. You know, it's very hard to get refineries done. This will be like nothing else ever built. It's a great thing. Thank you for that question.

Question 00:06:04-00:06:13 (9 sec)

Mr. President, in Arizona. What do you make of it? When will you say mission accomplished?

Donald Trump 00:06:13-00:06:44 (31 sec)

Well, look, we've knocked out their Navy. We've knocked out their Air Force. We've knocked out all of their anti-defense. We've taken out 60 mine boats, 50 mine boats. Nobody has ever seen anything like it. We have the greatest military in the world by far. Not even close, so. But you know what? They've inflicted 47 years' worth of damage to the world and now they're paying a big price.

Note 00:06:44-00:06:44 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:06:44-00:06:58 (14 sec)

Mr. President, would you -- are you willing to withdraw the US from Iran even if they have not turned over and allowed the US to seize their remaining --

Donald Trump 00:06:58-00:06:59 (1 sec)

I'm not going to that, yeah.

Question 00:06:59-00:07:01 (2 sec)

Do they have to turn over?

Donald Trump 00:07:01-00:07:13 (12 sec)

But we have hit them harder than virtually any country in history has been hit, and we're not finished yet.

Note 00:07:13-00:07:13 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:07:13-00:07:22 (9 sec)

Mr. President, you just impose the sanctions on Rwanda. What makes you so confident that they will stop the war in Congo?

Donald Trump 00:07:22-00:07:29 (7 sec)

We get along very well with Rwanda and with Congo, and we hope they're going to be -- they're going to get along.

Question 00:07:29-00:07:34 (6 sec)

Arizona -- why did the FBI seize election records in that state?

Donald Trump 00:07:34-00:07:37 (3 sec)

Well, they probably thought the election was rigged, right?

Question 00:07:37-00:07:39 (2 sec)

It wasn't rigged though.

Donald Trump 00:07:39-00:07:41 (2 sec)

Really? How do you know?

Question 00:07:41-00:07:47 (5 sec)

Your own attorney general in 2020 said that there was not measurable voter fraud?

Donald Trump 00:07:47-00:07:57 (10 sec)

Oh, really? You don't think it was rigged? I think it was rigged. And if you say it wasn't rigged, you're a rotten reporter.

Note 00:07:57-00:07:57 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:07:57-00:07:59 (3 sec)

What is the US doing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

Donald Trump 00:07:59-00:08:05 (6 sec)

Oh, it's working out very well, and I think you're going to see that working out very well.

Question 00:08:05-00:08:17 (12 sec)

Mr. President, what's your message -- Thank you, Mr. President. Thanks for coming to the cheap seats. Now that tankers are being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, how are you going to ensure the safety of oil flowing through there?

Donald Trump 00:08:17-00:08:34 (17 sec)

I think you're going to see great safety and it's going to be very, very quickly. We have decimated that country. They're paying a big price now for 47 years of killing. They killed, they killed -- you have relatives, we all have relatives, what they've done. And now they're paying the price.

Question 00:08:34-00:08:45 (11 sec)

Mr. President, America First Refining opened up its first oil refinery in 50 years, Brownsville, Texas. Why is this such a big deal and would it have happened under a different president?

Donald Trump 00:08:45-00:09:03 (18 sec)

It would not have happened under a different president. None of this would have happened under a different president. Just so you know, ready? A year ago, we were a dead country, now we're the hottest country in the world. Thank you.

Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters Before Marine One Departure - March 11, 2026 — Trump Archive