Leavitt Defends Trump Threats Securing Iran Ceasefire

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended President Donald Trump's recent threats against Iran during a briefing on Wednesday, crediting his rhetoric with securing a fragile two-week ceasefire following weeks of U.S. military strikes. The exchange occurred amid reports of strain in the truce, including accusations from Iran that Israel violated the agreement by targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, prompting Tehran to suspend tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Leavitt described the ceasefire, announced Tuesday evening, as a victory for the United States, attributing it to the pressure from Operation Epic Fury, a U.S. military campaign that inflicted significant damage on Iran's forces. She noted that American strikes had destroyed much of Iran's ballistic missile facilities, drone capabilities, submarine fleet, and naval vessels, setting back Tehran's military programs by years. "The president's maximum pressure and the leverage created by the success of Operation Epic Fury led to the Iranian regime asking for and ultimately agreeing to a ceasefire proposal," Leavitt said.

Reporters pressed Leavitt on Trump's Truth Social post from April 7, in which he warned...