President Trump ignored questions from reporters about the military strikes in Iran and the American casualties involved, choosing instead to admire new statues installed in the White House Rose Garden. This happened when he returned to Washington.
After stepping off Marine One, Trump walked past reporters who were shouting questions about the conflict. Senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes noted that he usually stops to talk to the press, but this time he “completely ignored us.” He stopped to look at new statues of Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, called them “unbelievable,” and walked away.
According to The Daily Beast, reporters were trying to get answers about the joint U.S. and Israeli strikes that had taken place the day before. The strikes, called “Operation Epic Fury,” killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of other top Iranian leaders. They also resulted in the deaths of three American servicemembers, with five others seriously wounded.
The silence from Trump left reporters with no answers as American families waited to hear from their president
Holmes described her frustration, saying reporters were asking important questions like, “What is your message for the families of the service members who were killed? How long are we going to be in this conflict?” She added, “We have so little answers right now, we don’t know
Earlier, Trump had released a video statement acknowledging the American deaths. He said, “As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.” The situation has continued to escalate across the region, with Iran retaliating with missiles across the Middle East as tensions show no sign of slowing down.
President Trump did not answer shouted questions on Iran when he returned to Washington tonight. He did comment on new statues that have been installed in the Rose Garden, telling reporters, "Unbelievable statues." pic.twitter.com/1MaT2Ib6At
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 2, 2026
He also warned, “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is, likely be more. But we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.” He then vowed that “America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against basically civilization.”
Upon arriving back at the White House President Donald Trump admires the newly installed statues in the rose garden#statue #rosegarden pic.twitter.com/1sIGS4Sw5a
— The Brief Signal (@TheBriefSignal) March 2, 2026
The strikes have also drawn sharp international criticism, with Putin condemning the US and Israel for killing Khamenei, calling it a violation of all norms. The statues of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were a new addition to the White House Rose Garden patio. They were not there when Trump left for Texas on Friday, according to reports. They are the latest changes to the Rose Garden, which was turned into a paved patio last June.
Instead of addressing the press about the deaths of American soldiers and an ongoing conflict, Trump chose to focus on garden decorations, leaving reporters and the public with very few answers about what comes next.
