US President Donald Trump looks on during an announcement on Healthcare Affordability in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.
Trump rules out nuking Iran
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the idea of using a nuclear weapon against Iran, sharply rebuking a reporter’s question during an Oval Office event and insisting such a step was unnecessary after claiming Tehran’s forces had already been “totally defeated militarily.”
The exchange occurred late Monday, as Trump spoke with reporters following an announcement on lowering prescription drug prices.
NewsNation White House correspondent Libbey Dean asked: “Have you ruled out using a nuclear weapon against Iran?”
Trump replied that he would “never say that,” but then affirmed the answer was yes, adding there was “no reason for it.”
He continued: “They’re totally defeated militarily, so I defeat them, and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them? What a stupid question.”
BREAKING: President Trump ERUPTS after a reporter asks him if he might nuke Iran, saying he'd NEVER do that
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 31, 2026
He then told the press to LEAVE the room
"I would never say that, but the answer is yes, I rule out nuclear. NO reason for it. WHAT A STUPID QUESTION that is,… pic.twitter.com/u8fhYqP0QH
Trump repeated the phrase “what a stupid question” and soon ended the session, thanking reporters and having them ushered out before Dean could follow up on another topic.
The comments came against the backdrop of a conflict that has stretched into its sixth month.
Over the preceding weekend, US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz—the first known US attack on Iranian territory in weeks—prompting Iran to fire missiles in response.
Trump had earlier vowed to “hit them hard” in response.
Trump has repeatedly described Iran’s military as dismantled, asserting its navy and air force are gone, its leadership is in disarray, and the country faces severe economic strain including high inflation.
He has framed the core US objective as ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, stating on Monday that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon” and warning that such a capability would pose an existential threat to ‘Israel’.
This was not the first time Trump rejected nuclear use against Iran.
In April 2026 he told reporters he would not employ such weapons, saying nuclear arms “should never be allowed to be used by anybody” and that conventional strikes had already “decimated” Iranian forces.
A White House statement after the latest remarks noted that the president “retains all options at his disposal” while describing Iran as seeking a deal but “always a day late and a dollar short.”
