President Donald Trump delivered a wide ranging press briefing to reporters aboard Air Force One as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington for bilateral talks. The American president outlined the state of negotiations with Tehran, potential defense sales to regional partners, and coordination with Israeli leadership following two weeks of military operations.
Discussing the ongoing diplomatic contacts with Iranian leadership, President Trump explained the factors driving Tehran to the negotiation table. "The only reason Iran wants to talk is because they are not in a good position. We have time, there is a good chance that something will happen in the talks, if not then we will go back to what we did before," Trump stated.
The president detailed the recent military campaign, noting that intense operations over a fortnight severely impacted Iranian capabilities and forced a shift in Tehran's diplomatic approach. According to Trump, "Iran took a lot during the last 14 days, they asked us very nicely 'please stop, let's meet, if there is no deal, we will return to fighting like before.'"
Addressing strategic alignment with Israeli political leadership, President Trump described current coordination between Washington and Jerusalem. "There are a few disagreements with Netanyahu, but the situation is good, our positions and Israel's positions are fairly close regarding Iran," Trump remarked during the inflight briefing.
When asked by reporters about potential Israeli opposition to a prospective F35 fighter jet transaction between the United States and Turkey, President Trump firmly rejected external interference in American foreign policy. "He does not decide for me, no one will tell me whether to sell or not sell airplanes," Trump declared.
Commenting on diplomatic ties with Turkish leadership, President Trump addressed regional tensions involving Ankara. "He is not a big fan of Israel, but he is a good friend of mine," Trump told reporters, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
President Trump also dismissed media reports alleging critical shortages of air defense interceptors within military stockpiles. "We have a lot of ammunition, different types. Biden gave a lot to Ukraine, and we are rebuilding it. We also have a lot of medium equipment, more than we could ever use," Trump stated.
According to statements provided by White House officials to Reuters, the administration remains focused on evaluating Iranian compliance during the current diplomatic window while maintaining force readiness across the region.
