Trump rules out ceasefire, says Israel will end war when US ready; calls on SK/Japan/China for Hormuz

US President Trump spoke to reporters outside the White House on Day 21 (Friday March 20), delivering his most explicit public statement on war strategy to date: On ceasefire: 'We can have dialogue, but I don't want to do a ceasefire. You don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side.' On Israel's autonomy: Asked if Israel will agree to end the war when the US decides, Trump said: 'I think so, yeah.' This implies the US holds the effective veto on war termination. On US-Israel unity: 'The relationship is a very good one. We want more or less similar things. You know what we want? We want victory — both of us — and that's what we've got.' On Hormuz burden-sharing: Trump said South Korea, Japan and China will 'have to' help secure the Strait of Hormuz. This expands pressure beyond NATO allies (called 'cowards' earlier in the day) to East Asian and Pacific powers with major stakes in Gulf oil flows. On Kharg Island: Trump declined to comment on reports he is weighing a takeover of Iran's Kharg Island to pressure Tehran to reopen Hormuz. Significance: This is the clearest signal yet that (1) the US has no near-term off-ramp planned, (2) Israel is operating under US strategic direction on war termination, (3) the Hormuz crisis is being framed as a global burden-sharing problem — not just a US-NATO issue — and (4) Trump considers the military campaign already successful ('we've got victory'), making Hormuz the remaining unresolved variable.