On April 23, while speaking to reporters, President Donald Trump dismissed any possibility of using a nuclear weapon in the war with Iran. He also stated that “conventional” military force had already achieved decisive results.
Donald Trump talks about nuclear weapons
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Donald Trump was asked whether he would authorize a nuclear strike on Iran. His response was, “Why would I use a nuclear weapon? We’ve totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it.” Further adding, “No, I wouldn’t use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody” (via Reuters).
The remarks followed recent unverified claims alleging Trump sought access to nuclear launch authority during a White House meeting. The latest rumor started by former CIA officer Larry Johnson on the Judging Freedom podcast on April 20. Johnson claimed General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, refused such a request during what he described as “quite a blowup.” Johnson provided no evidence or named sources.
When questioned about the timeline for a long-term peace deal with Iran, Trump declined to commit to a deadline. “Don’t rush me,” he said. “I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now … but I don’t want to do that. I want to have it everlasting.”
Trump also addressed intelligence suggesting Iran may have moved weaponry during a two-week ceasefire period. “Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone,” he said. “Maybe they loaded up a little bit during the two-week hiatus, but we’ll knock that out about one day, if they did.”
The White House swiftly debunked the earlier-mentioned rumor, with a spokesperson explicitly telling Newsweek the story was false. The episode, while lacking evidence or official corroboration, underscored the acute sensitivity surrounding any discussion of nuclear weapons and the Iran war. Trump’s on-the-record denial on Thursday appeared calibrated to shut down that narrative entirely.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
