President Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out using nuclear weapons to end the ongoing conflict with Iran, dismissing the idea as a "stupid question" during an Oval Office press event. "Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we’ve totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it?" Trump said. "No, I wouldn’t use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."
The comments came amid stalled peace talks between Washington and Tehran, with Iran insisting on retaining its uranium enrichment capabilities. Earlier this month, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran’s "whole civilization will die" if the country refused to strike a deal, sparking bipartisan outrage. White House officials later clarified the remarks as a threat to target Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Trump’s remarks followed orders to the U.S. Navy to destroy any Iranian vessels planting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. "I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote on Truth Social. U.S. forces also intercepted a vessel allegedly carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean.
The conflict’s roots trace back to disputes over Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has long criticized the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era nuclear deal, calling it "disastrous." He withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018, leading to renewed tensions. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected U.S. demands to dismantle its enrichment infrastructure, calling it a "right" under international law.
Nuclear experts and some lawmakers support Trump’s stance, arguing that Iran’s enrichment capabilities pose a proliferation risk. Others, including former Obama administration officials, argue that a revised nuclear deal remains the most viable path to de-escalation. The war’s political and economic costs have mounted, with midterm elections looming and global oil markets affected by Strait of Hormuz disruptions.