WASHINGTON, October 16: United States President Donald Trump has formally ruled out the deployment of nuclear weapons against Iran, asserting that Washington does not require atomic capabilities to achieve its strategic objectives in the region. Speaking during an interview on Thursday with Newsmax, President Trump addressed recent media reports suggesting that his administration was weighing options to utilize the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB)—colloquially known as the “mother of all bombs”—against Iranian infrastructure, potentially following the upcoming US midterm elections. Clarifying the nature of the heavy conventional ordnance, Trump stressed that the weapon is entirely non-nuclear.
“Well, the mother of all bombs is not nuclear. It’s not nuclear at all,” Trump told Newsmax. “This is just an extremely large bomb. It’s like a tiny nuclear bomb, but the mother of all bombs is one big bomb. But it’s not nuclear. No, I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to.”
The US president reiterated that American military strategy did not necessitate crossing the nuclear threshold. His remarks follow recent reporting by media outlets, citing defense and administration officials, indicating that the US military has prepared updated strike options involving heavy conventional munitions. These options reportedly target Iranian energy infrastructure and heavily fortified nuclear sites.
Trump Discusses Potential Strikes on Iran Nuclear Sites and Regional Strategy
Expanding on potential future military actions, President Trump raised the prospect of conducting operations against specific targets inside Iran, drawing particular attention to a suspected underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
”Now, we’re looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there,” Trump stated. “We’ll take a shot at that one. We’ll knock it out fast.”
When asked by interviewers whether any such future operations would entail the deployment of American ground troops inside Iranian territory, the president firmly dismissed the possibility. “No, I don’t see that. I don’t see that,” Trump replied.
The discussions surrounding potential military maneuvers occur against a backdrop of fluctuating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Over recent months, US forces have engaged in intermittent strikes targeting conventional military assets, air defense installations, and missile storage facilities, particularly around key maritime transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, international diplomatic efforts and regional security arrangements continue to navigate the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
President Trump also touched upon broader global nuclear security dynamics during the broadcast, pointing to the size and status of the American nuclear arsenal relative to other global powers. He noted that Washington maintains a robust deterrent posture while expressing a theoretical openness to future international arms control discussions regarding strategic stability.
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