U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran, saying the United States did not need them, while warning that Washington could launch further strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities as he predicted the war would end soon.
In an interview Thursday with Newsmax, Trump addressed reports that his administration was considering deploying the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), commonly known as the “mother of all bombs,” against Iran, potentially after the U.S. midterm elections.
Trump stressed that the weapon was conventional, not nuclear, describing it as an extremely powerful bomb.
“The mother of all bombs is not nuclear,” Trump said. “This is just an extremely large bomb.”
He repeated the distinction, saying the weapon was a conventional munition despite its destructive capacity.
Asked directly whether he would use nuclear weapons against Iran, Trump dismissed the possibility, saying Washington had no need to resort to them.
“No, I wouldn't use nuclear. We don't have to,” he said.
However, Trump left open the possibility of additional American attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, specifically mentioning a suspected underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
“Now, we're looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there,” Trump said. “We'll take a shot at that one. We'll knock it out fast.”
The site is suspected of being part of Iran's nuclear program, and Trump's remarks suggested that Washington was considering further action to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump indicated that such an operation would not necessarily involve American ground troops. Asked whether U.S. forces would be deployed on the ground, he said he did not expect that to happen.
“No, I don't see that. I don't see that,” he said.
The president also warned that the United States might need to carry out additional military operations if it withdrew before ensuring Iran could never acquire nuclear weapons.
“We want to make it so that they will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, suggesting that the prospect of future strikes would remain if Washington believed its objectives had not been achieved.
Despite signaling the possibility of further attacks, Trump predicted that the conflict would end in the near future, citing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
“The Iran war will be over very soon. It's going to end very soon,” he said.
“One way or the other, it'll end very soon. And oil will go dropping like a rock, and gas prices as well.”
Trump's comments linked his expectations for an end to the conflict with the prospect of falling energy prices, which have been a major concern amid the fighting and uncertainty surrounding oil supplies.
He also claimed that Iranian officials had asked Washington to halt American and Israeli military operations, although he did not provide further details about the alleged request.
“They've asked us to please stop. And we do, because we're negotiating with them,” Trump said.
His remarks offered little detail about the status of the negotiations, the issues under discussion or the conditions that might lead to a cessation of hostilities.
Trump's prediction of a swift end to the war came alongside his warning that the United States remained prepared to strike additional Iranian nuclear facilities if necessary.
The administration's approach, as outlined by the president, combines diplomatic engagement with the threat of continued military action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Trump also addressed his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has been involved in the military campaign against Iran alongside the United States.
Asked whether he trusted Netanyahu, Trump gave a blunt response.
“I don't trust anybody, honestly,” he said.
He reiterated his position, adding: “In the world of politics, I don't trust anybody.”
