Trump rules out nuclear strike on Iran, warns of response
Trump said he would rule out using a nuclear weapon against Iran and warned the U.S. would respond forcefully after Iranian retaliation.
President Donald Trump ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran and said there was no reason to do so, while warning that the U.S. would respond forcefully after Tehran launched retaliatory strikes against American forces in Jordan. During an Oval Office event on Monday, Trump was asked whether he had ruled out a nuclear weapon against Iran. He said, “Well, I would never say that, but the answer is yes,” and added, “I rule out.
There’s no reason for it.” Trump also criticized the question as “a stupid question,” and said Iran had already been “totally defeated militarily.” He said, “So now I defeat them and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them.” The source text also says Iran retaliated on Sunday after the U.S. military struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly because the IRGC was preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines. The IRGC said it carried out missile and drone attacks on two U.S. air bases in Jordan.
Jordanian authorities said air defenses intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered its airspace, and said there were no reported casualties or damage. The IRGC described the U.S. and Israeli strikes as a "strategic and deadly mistake" and vowed retaliation. Fox News reporter Trey Yingst said Trump vowed a strong U.S.
response to Iran’s overnight missile attack on U.S. forces, quoting him as saying, "We're going to hit them hard" and "There will be a response." Earlier, Trump announced the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," targeting Iran and warning that nations supporting Tehran financially would face severe consequences. He said Iran’s military infrastructure had been devastated and urged allies to help. The post was dated August 31, 2026.
Trump said the goal is to "isolate and defeat" the Iranian threat. He also warned that oil smuggling, cash transfers, swap lines and other financial channels supporting Iran "all needs to stop now," and repeated that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."