Trump press conference: Iran regime "literally obliterated", criticises allies for rebuffing Hormuz appeal

President Trump held a press conference in the East Room of the White House on March 16 at approximately 11:45 a.m. ET (16:45 UTC). Key statements: "The Air Force is gone, the Navy is gone, many, many ships have been sunk. Anti-aircraft is decimated. Their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone. They've been a terror for 47 years, and now, I guess, the world or the United States, with the help of Israel, is doing what should've been done many years ago." Trump also confirmed the US had struck Iranian manufacturing plants for missiles and drones that day: "We just hit three of them today." He expressed frustration with allies who rebuffed his Hormuz coalition call, saying they should "come and help us." He also walked back some of the "obliterated" framing by supporting Defense Secretary Hegseth's position that the war is "just the beginning of building a new country" and "will end soon." The combined messaging — Iran obliterated + war is just beginning + three more manufacturing plants hit today — reflects the contradictory US public communication posture: celebrating damage inflicted while sustaining escalatory momentum. (Sources: ABC7 and NYT live blog, 12:21 p.m. ET, 17:21 UTC)