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Trump Gaggles with the Press on Air Force One (First Gaggle), June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025 · The White House · 0:07:52

Embedded from the source channel — never re-uploaded. Watch on YouTube

What happened

President Donald Trump took questions from the press on Air Force One on June 24, 2025, in the first of two gaggles the White House channel carried that day, en route to the NATO summit. On the 5 percent defense target, he said the United States would not itself increase to 5 percent: “We should pay what everyone else — you know, they’re in Europe. We’re not. A lot of that money goes to rebuilding their bridges, their roads, so it can take heavy equipment. We don’t have any roads in Europe. We don’t have any bridges in Europe. So no, it wouldn’t be quite the same thing for us, but we’re with them,” as he stated the position.

Asked whether he remained committed to NATO’s Article 5, he answered: “It depends on your definition. There’s numerous definitions of Article 5, you know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends. You know, I’ve become friends with many of those leaders and I’m committed to helping them,” as he stated it. He also recounted a call with President Putin: “Vladimir called me up. He said, ‘Can I help you with Iran?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t need help with Iran. I need help with you.’ And I hope we’re going to be getting a deal done with Russia,” citing, as he stated the figure, more than 6,500 soldiers killed the previous week.

Why it matters

This gaggle carries two of the summit’s most quoted presidential formulations in his own words: the American exception he claimed from the 5 percent target he pressed on allies, and the ‘depends on your definition’ answer on Article 5, delivered hours before the summit opened.

Scoreboard watch

This gaggle is a scoreboard reference point: the President’s June 24, 2025 Article 5 answer and his account of President Putin’s offer of help on Iran, each as stated by the President, to be checked against the summit declaration and the subsequent Russia record.

Sources: The White House, “President Trump Gaggles with the Press on Air Force One, June 24, 2025” (official upload, embedded above; the upload’s description places the gaggle on Air Force One). This is the earlier of the channel’s two June 24, 2025 Air Force One gaggles. All characterizations as stated by the President.