WASHINGTON, April 23 - President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would not deploy a nuclear weapon in the conflict with Iran, asserting that U.S. military action to date has achieved decisive results through conventional means.
When asked at the White House whether he would consider using a nuclear device, Trump replied, "Why would I use a nuclear weapon? We’ve totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it." He added, "No, I wouldn’t use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."
The president also addressed the timeline for negotiating a long-term settlement with Iran. Asked how long he was willing to wait for such an arrangement, Trump responded, "Don’t rush me." He said he wanted a durable agreement rather than a quick compromise.
On Iran's military capabilities, Trump said his administration had substantially degraded those forces. "Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone ... 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 president said, describing the U.S. military's ability to remove any additional buildup quickly.
"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 said.
Trump's remarks combined a categorical rejection of nuclear use with an emphasis on conventional military superiority and a desire for a lasting diplomatic resolution. He framed the conflict in terms of military outcomes already achieved and expressed confidence in the speed with which any renewed Iranian rearmament could be addressed.
Context and implications
The president's comments outline two clear positions: an absolute refusal to authorize nuclear use in this conflict and a preference for a negotiated, long-term settlement. He portrayed recent U.S. operations as having substantially degraded Iran's naval and air capabilities and indicated willingness to wait for a stronger, more durable agreement rather than accept an immediate deal.
Note: The article reports the president's statements verbatim where quoted and summarizes other remarks as expressed during the White House exchange with reporters.