U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday explicitly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, walking back previous rhetoric that suggested the total annihilation of the country.
Speaking with reporters at the White House, the President dismissed the necessity of an atomic strike, pointing instead to the effectiveness of the ongoing conventional military campaign.
“No, I wouldn’t use it,” Trump stated when questioned about the nuclear option.
“Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we’ve, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it?”
He further added a rare blanket sentiment against the deployment of such an arsenal, asserting,
“A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody.”
The remarks mark a significant shift in tone from April 7, when Trump issued a dire warning that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back.”
That ultimatum was followed by a two-week ceasefire, which the President has since extended as the United States and Israel continue a war they launched earlier this year.
Despite the President’s recent de-escalation of rhetoric, internal administration signals have been mixed. During the conflict, Vice President JD Vance warned that the U.S. was prepared to intensify the assault using weapons “not previously used.”
While the White House later denied this was a veiled nuclear threat, Vance reportedly used the hardline stance to push for Iranian concessions regarding its contested nuclear program during failed negotiations.
For his part, Trump maintained that his primary objective remains an Iran “without a nuclear weapon that’s going to try and blow up one of our cities or blow up the entire Middle East.” Tehran continues to deny any ambition to acquire an atomic bomb.
Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, United Nations nuclear watchdogs maintained that an Iranian nuclear weapon was not imminent.
The President’s latest comments appear to challenge established American military strategy. Historically, the United States—the only nation to have used nuclear weapons in combat, following the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—has rejected “no first use” policies, reserving the right to use its nuclear triad in various conflict scenarios.
Trump himself has previously advocated for ending the U.S. moratorium on nuclear testing, citing alleged activities by Russia and China.
While former President Barack Obama once championed the long-term goal of a nuclear-free world, his administration maintained that the U.S. stockpile remained a necessary deterrent.
In contrast, Trump’s recent “never” stance on nuclear use introduces a new layer of ambiguity to the administration’s foreign policy as the standoff in the Middle East continues.