WH Declares Press ‘Lid’ At 11:08 AM As Trump Stays Inside For ‘Executive Time’ Amid War

The White House declared a press “lid” at 11:08 AM as President Donald Trump stayed inside with a schedule consisting of “Executive Time” — but no sign of a public briefing on bombshell war developments.

On Friday, news broke that two U.S. warplanes — an F-15 and an F-35 — were shot down by Iranian missiles and two other aircraft were hit by Iranian fire during rescue operations. One member of the F-15 crew is still missing.

The president has not spoken publicly about the attacks, commenting only in an off-camera chat with NBC News:

Garrett Haake reported on NBC News’s Live Blog Friday afternoon, “In a brief phone interview, President Trump refused to discuss the specifics of ongoing search and rescue efforts in Iran after an American jet was downed.”

“But he expressed frustration about some of the coverage of what is plainly an intense and sensitive military operation,” Haake wrote. “Asked if today’s events will affect any negotiations with Iran, the president said it would not. ‘No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war, Garrett.’”

Trump’s schedule for Saturday consisted of a single entry:

8:00 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time
The White House
Closed Press

His press pool consisted of a dozen correspondents and photographers who showed up first thing to report on any comments or actions by the president.

During a busy social media morning, Trump fired off posts on a range of topics, but did not address the attacks. And at 11:08, pool reporter Hugo Lowell said the White House had called a “lid”:

From: Hugo Lowell
Sent: Saturday, April 4, 2026 11:13 AM
Subject: In town report #1 – Lid

Good morning and goodbye

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 11:08

—

Hugo Lowell
White House Correspondent
The Guardian

Lowell noted the significance in an X post:

The White House has called a travel/photo lid as of 11am ET, meaning we do not expect to see the president for the rest of the day

Trump is in Washington this weekend but we are yet to have a formal news briefing on the situation with the missing airman in Iran

But the president did make time for social media. Trump’s first thought Saturday morning was to attack The New York Times for publishing an article with the headline “A North American Treaty Organization Without America?”

The Failing New York Times, whose lack of credibility, and their constant Fake News attacks on your favorite President, ME, has caused its circulation to absolutely PLUMMET, referred to our severely weakened and extremely unreliable “partner,”NATO, as the North American Treaty Organization. The correct name is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – A very interesting mistake! The hiring and educational standards have gone way down at the NYT. Bring back, “ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT” and, Make America Great Again! President DJT

As the search continued Saturday morning, Trump issued a new threat to Iran and another deadline, this time with a reference to God:

Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump also bragged about the jobs report, and credited his friend “MR. TARIFF!” and took a victory lap on Iran:

Not only were the jobs numbers GREAT yesterday, 178,000 new jobs, but the TRADE DEFICIT was down 55%, the biggest drop in history. THANK YOU MR. TARIFF! All of this and, simultaneously, getting rid of a Nuclear Iran. MAGA!!!

The president’s claim about the trade deficit was technically true, based on a year-over-year comparison of January and February, but not the overall trade deficit.

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