Summary: A main message of President Trump upon his closing press Q&A remarks (and echoed by Hegseth, who also spoke) is that Iran's nuclear facilities have been 'obliterated, totally obliterated'. "You know they have guys that go in there after the hit, and they said it was total obliteration,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in The Hague, in reference to the bombing of Fordo. He actually at times referenced Israeli and Iranian sources. "Israel is doing a report on it now, I understand, and I was told that they said it was total obliteration. I believe it was total obliteration, and I believe they didn’t have a chance to get anything out because we acted fast," Trump said.
Another important moment concerns nuclear talks, after Trump declared what he's calling the '12-day war' is 'over'. "We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary. I mean, they had a war, they fought, now they’re going back to their world. I don’t care if I have an agreement or not," Trump said.
"As you know, last weekend the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities and it was very, very successful. It was called obliteration. No other military on earth could have done it, and now this incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace with a historic ceasefire agreement," Trump said.
When pressed on the leaked US intelligence from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), he said "The document said it could be very severe damage. But they didn’t take that. They said it could be limited or it could be very severe. They really didn’t know other than to say it could be limited or it could be very, very severe."
President Donald Trump and his top officials, including Rubio and Hegseth, are in The Netherlands where they are defending this past weekend's strikes on Iran nuclear facilities. They are praising the B-2 bomber raid and execution of the pilots and all involved as having demolished the country's atomic capabilities.
Trump has achieved his vision of a massive defense spending boost, as on Wednesday the alliance has formally committed to a 5% of GDP spending goal over the next decade, with Secretary Rutte having earlier proclaimed 'no opt-outs' - aimed particularly at Spain and others - and further the US President has pledged that 'we're with NATO all the way.' For now, Trump seems mostly in the mood to defend his Iran attack, and proclaim the total destruction of the Islamic Republic's core nuclear program, in the face of a skeptical US and European press. He's expected to speak at the close of Wednesday's summit. WATCH LIVE:
Some developments from the ongoing NATO summit:
Many developments being announced at the summit are fully expected and were long previewed, but the big wild-card as usual will be Trump's live comments to the press and to officials gathered.
President Trump also on Wednesday has met with Ukraine's President Zelensky, and likely discussed new anti-Moscow sanctions and the purchase of a new weapons purchase. Trump has exhibited coolness toward the Ukrainian leader of late, and this is perhaps why Zelensky is dressed to impress, having actually shown up in a suit this time.