US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran, retreating from earlier threats to erase Iranian civilization. "No, I wouldn't use it," Trump said at the White House, adding, "Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we've, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it?" He claimed a nuclear weapon should never be used by anyone. This position follows his April 7 threat that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back," directed at Iran, which was quickly followed by a ceasefire he has since extended. The conflict, launched by the United States and Israel, saw Vice President JD Vance warn of intensifying damage with weapons not previously deployed, though the White House denied this referred to nuclear options. Vance had also pushed for greater Iranian concessions on its nuclear programme during failed negotiations. Trump said his goal is an Iran that does not possess a nuclear weapon capable of targeting US cities or destabilizing the Middle East. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, and the UN nuclear watchdog reported no imminent atomic bomb development prior to the war. The United States remains the only nation to have used nuclear weapons in warfare, destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, killing approximately 214,000 people. Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear arms but does not confirm this. Trump's statement contradicts long-standing US nuclear doctrine, which reserves the right to use nuclear weapons, including first use. He has previously advocated ending the US moratorium on nuclear testing, citing alleged secret tests by China and Russia. Former President Barack Obama supported a world without nuclear weapons but maintained their deterrent role.
Donald Trump claims a nuclear weapon should never be used, yet his administration upholds a doctrine that reserves the right to use them first. His April 7 threat to erase an entire civilization contradicts his current moral stance against nuclear destruction. The shift exposes a pattern of rhetoric unmoored from consistent policy, leaving global actors uncertain about US red lines. This inconsistency benefits no one, especially populations caught in the shadow of escalating threats.
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