Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2026
February 27, 2026
The President. There's a lot—there's a lot of spirit.
Iran/U.S. Diplomatic Efforts
Q. How are the talks going with Iran? Are you happy with the progress?
The President. No, I'm not. I'm not happy with the fact that they're not willing to give us what we have to have. So I'm not thrilled with that. We'll see what happens. We're talking later.
We'll have some additional talks today, but no, I'm not happy with the way they're going.
Former President William J. Clinton
Q. Are you concerned at all about President Bill Clinton being deposed and that that sets precedent for you and your family?
The President. I don't like seeing him deposed, but you know, they certainly went after me a lot more than that.
[At this point, several reporters began asking questions at once.]
I don't like seeing him—look, I like him, and I don't like seeing him deposed. [Several reporters spoke at once.]
Secretary of Commerce Howard W. Lutnick
Q. Sir, Democrats are saying they have the votes to subpoena Howard Lutnick. What is your reaction to that?
The President. Well, Howard would go in and do whatever he has to say. He's a very innocent guy, doing a good job.
Iraq
Q. Mr. President, U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack now is in Iraq. What's your message to the Iraqi leadership?
The President. Well, I get along very well with the Iraqi leadership. Thank you. [Several reporters spoke at once.]
Governor Jay R. "J.B." Pritzker of Illinois
Q. Governor Pritzker posted on social media that you're planning to steal the 2026 midterm elections. In fact, he says the plan is "already underway." How do you respond to Governor Pritzker?
The President. Well, he's got to focus on crime in his State. The crime in his State is doing very badly. If we went and took care of it, what we'd do—just like Washington, DC, we have no crime. Memphis, we took—it's down 82 percent. Louisiana, you take a look at Louisiana. What he should really do is focus on crime in his State, because there's too much of it.
Iran
Q. Have you made a final decision of Iran? Have you made a final decision on Iran? Have you made a final decision on Iran?
The President. No, I haven't. No, I haven't.
Iran/Potential U.S. Military Involvement
Q. Do you believe that Iran is building new nuclear weapons?
Q. Mr. President, what will be next move if negotiation break down with Iran?
The President. Well, we haven't made a final decision. We're not exactly happy with the way they're negotiating. They cannot have nuclear weapons, and we're not thrilled with the way they're negotiating. So we'll see how it all works out.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Cuba
Q. Sir, what was that boat doing in Cuba? And do you believe the Cuban Government?
The President. The Cuban Government is talking with us, and they're in a big deal of trouble, as you know. They have no money. They have no anything right now. But they're talking with us, and maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.
Q. But what about the boat, sir? The boat that was there?
The President. After many, many years—we've had a lot of years of dealing with Cuba. I've been hearing about Cuba since I'm a little boy.
But they're in big trouble, and we could very well—something good, I think very positive for the people that were expelled or worse from Cuba that live here. You know, we have people living here that want to go back to Cuba, and they're very happy with what's going on.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Department of Justice Files Concerning Deceased Convicted Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein
Q. The last news of Epstein files, in particular, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton. What about
that?
The President. I don't know anything about the Epstein files. You know, I've been fully
exonerated.
Yes, please.
Iran/Potential U.S. Military Involvement
Q. With the options that you've been briefed on for Iran, is there a risk that strikes could turn into a long, drawn-out conflict in the Middle East?
The President. I guess you could say there's always a risk. You know, when there's war, there's a risk in anything, both good and bad. We've had tremendous luck with myself—Soleimani, al-Baghdadi. Everything's worked out. And then we do the Midnight Hammer and so many others. Everything's worked out, and we want to keep it that way. But we're going to see.
Look, it would be wonderful if they'd negotiate, really, in good conscience—good faith and conscience. But they are not getting there. So far, Peter [Peter Doocy, Fox News], they're not getting there.
Iran
Q. And has your team told you that if you use the military now, that there will be regime change right away?
The President. No. Nobody's told me that. [Several reporters spoke at once.]
You don't know. I mean, nobody knows that. There might be, and there might not be. We'll have to see. It would be nice if we could do it without, but sometimes you have to do it with.
We—when you looked at what—look, we have the greatest military anywhere in the world. There's nothing close. I'd love not to use it, but sometimes you have to. We'll see what happens.
Cuba
Q. Are we going to have a change in the regime in Cuba soon?
The President. Well, Cuba's doing very badly. They are failing. Cuba right now is, to put it mildly, a failing nation. And I've been hearing about Cuba. I said before, since I'm a little boy, I've been hearing about Cuba. And everybody wanted to change it. I could see that happening.
Marco Rubio is dealing on it and at a very high level. And you know, they have no money. They have no oil. They have no food. And it's really, right now, a nation in deep trouble, and they want our help.
Q. Mr. President, in Iran—Mr. President——
Russia/Ukraine
Q. Mr. President, will you talk about sanctions relief for Russia and expanding U.S.-Russia economic and trade ties as part of——
The President. I'd love to do sanctions relief. I'd like to do—I'd like to just see that war over with. I spoke with President Putin. We'd like to see the war end, and I would like to see it end fast.
Q. Sir, are you——
The President. Twenty-five thousand people died last month. It's crazy. It's—to have that war is just absolutely, it's a shame.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Election Reform Efforts
Q. Sir, are you considering a national emergency around the midterm elections?
The President. Who told you that?
Q. There's been reporting that there's an Executive order—proposed Executive order about this. Are you looking at that? Are you considering that?
The President. No, I don't—I've never heard of that.
Venezuela
Q. I know that you said that the regime of Delcy Rodríguez is cooperating, but in that Government, there's still a individual—the Minister of Interior, Diosdado Cabello—he's still indicted by the U.S. Government for narcotraffic and narcoterrorism. Do you want to see him facing charges here in the United——
The President. What we'll do is, I'll take a look at it. [Several reporters spoke at once.]
Russia
Q. Are you going to more pressure on President Putin, sir?
The President. We'll see what happens. We want to make a deal. We're going to make a deal.
It's a question of when. We want to make—how are you? Hello. How are you?
Q. Hello, Mr.——
The President. We want to make a deal with Russia. We want to make a deal with Ukraine. I think we're very close, but we'll see what happens.
Q. Mr. President, will there by an update on Cuba?
Rwanda/Democratic Republic of the Congo
Q. Mr. President, thank you. Mr. President, what are you going to do about the violation of Rwanda? He violated the peace accords.
The President. I'm looking at it this afternoon. [Inaudible] [Several reporters spoke at once.]
Belarus
Q. Mr. President, are you planning to restore ties with Belarus?
The President. [Inaudible]
Q. Are you planning to restore ties with Belarus? With Belarus, in Europe.
The President. Yes. What about it?
Q. Belarus, the country.
The President. Yes. Yes, I know it very well. Well, go ahead.
Q. Are you planning to restore a relationship with them, restore——
The President. We have a good relationship, and the leader is somebody that I have a lot of respect for. With Belarus, we have a very good relationship. And——
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Q. Do you have any conditions for them?
The President. And I like the leader a lot.
Q. Do you have any conditions for them? [Several reporters spoke at once.]
The President. A lot of people out here.
Q. Yes, there is.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
The President. [Inaudible]—meaning less, not more.
Mortgage Interest Rates
Q. Mr. President, congratulations on the State of the Union, sir.
The President. Thank you.
Q. Mortgage rates—30-year mortgage rates hit below 6 percent——
The President. Yes.
Q. ——the first time in 4 years.
The President. Mortgage rates are going down very rapidly.
Q. What is your message to young people, like me, who want to buy a home under you?
The President. Save a little money. Wait a little longer. You're going to get a mortgage for a very low rate.
[Several reporters spoke at once.] And he's got a great job too.
What?
Q. Iran——
Q. About the drone that was shot down in Texas——
The President. [Inaudible]
Iran/U.S. Diplomatic Efforts
Q. Is Iran trying to string you along?
The President. Well, we're not happy with what's going on. They should make a deal. They'd be smart if they made a deal. No nuclear weapon. We want no nuclear weapons by Iran, and they're not saying those golden words.
[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Q. ——health care act?
Oil Industry/Gasoline Costs
Q. Mr. President, I'm filling in for Brian Glenn [Real America's Voice]. What do you hope to achieve on this trip to Texas? Do you plan on making any endorsements while you're there?
The President. Well, what we're having is tremendous luck with oil. We've got more oil than anybody. And the prices of gasoline are coming way down, and prices generally are coming way down. The pricing is—it's been amazing what we've been able to do in 1 year. Prices are way down, led by energy, led by oil.
So we're—this is sort of—it's Texas. It's a little bit of an oil meeting, I would say. Thank you.
Election Reform Efforts
Q. Are you considering an Executive order on elections?
The President. No, I haven't heard about that.
Latin America/Brazil
Q. Mr. President, thank you. Next weekend in Florida, are you receiving leaders from Latin America?
The President. Yes.
Q. What do you intend to discuss with them? And if you had a date to receive the President of Brazil here at the White House?
The President. Well, I get along with the President of Brazil very well. I'd love to.
Q. And for the meeting with Latin American leaders——[Several reporters spoke at once.]
Pakistan/Afghanistan
Q. Pakistan has waged a war against Afghanistan. Have they asked you to intervene? Has anyone reached out to you on that?
The President. Well, I would, but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well—very, very well. You have a great Prime Minister. You have a great general there. You have a great leader that, I think two of the people that I really respect a lot. And I think that Pakistan is doing terrifically well. Yes.
Iraq
Q. Mr. President, why you are not happy about Nuri Maliki nominated to became a new Prime Minister of Iraq?
The President. We're going to see what happens with Iraq. We're going to see what happens. It will all work out well for—and I like Iraq, and I like the people of Iraq a lot.
Thank you very much.
NOTE: The President spoke at 12:27 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White House prior to boarding Marine One. In his remarks, he referred to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus; President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil; and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah of Pakistan. Reporters referred to former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas J. Barrack; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Acting President Delcy Rodríguez Gomez of Venezuela.
Categories: Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters, White House. Locations: Washington, DC.
Names: Clinton, William J.; Lukashenka, Alyaksandr; Lula da Silva, Luiz Inácio; Lutnick, Howard W.; Munir Ahmed Shah, Syed Asim; Pritzker, Jay R. "J.B."; Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich; Rubio, Marco A.; Sharif, Shehbaz.
Subjects: Belarus, President; Belarus, relations with U.S.; Brazil, President; Congo, Democratic Republic of the, relations with Rwanda; Cuba, political and economic stability; Department of Justice files concerning deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Gasoline costs; Illinois, Governor; Iran, diplomatic engagement with U.S.; Iran, nuclear weapons development; Iran, U.S. airstrikes on nuclear facilities; Iraq, elections; Iraq, relations with U.S.; Mortgage interest rates; News media, Presidential interviews; Oil and natural gas, domestic production; Pakistan, Chief of Defense Forces; Pakistan, Prime Minister; Russia, President; Russia, U.S. sanctions; Rwanda, relations with Democratic Republic of the Congo; Secretary of Commerce; Secretary of State.
DCPD Number: DCPD202600137.