U.S. President, Donald Trump has stated that he believes Iran was just “a few weeks away” from obtaining a nuclear weapon, warning of catastrophic consequences if the Islamic Republic were to succeed.
“I’ve been saying for 20 years, maybe longer, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’ve been saying it for a long time, and I think they were a few weeks away from having one,” Trump stated.
“Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon—too much devastation. And they’d use it,” he added. “Others won’t use it, but I believe they would. So that’s it. It’s very simple.”
Trump’s alarming assertion comes amid growing tensions between Iran and Israel, with fears escalating over the potential for a broader regional war. However, his comments appear to contradict the U.S. intelligence community’s official assessment.
In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified that U.S. intelligence agencies “continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized a nuclear weapons program since suspending it in 2003.”
Additionally, CNN reported earlier this week that, according to four individuals familiar with the matter, current intelligence estimates suggest Iran is still up to three years away from being capable of producing and delivering a nuclear weapon.
Despite this, Trump has indicated that U.S. military intervention remains on the table. Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins from the Oval Office, Trump said he had not yet made a final decision on possible American involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, but confirmed that he was meeting with top officials in the Situation Room to explore options.
“I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven’t made a final decision,” Trump said. “I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due, because things change—especially with war. It can go from one extreme to the other.”
Trump described Israel’s initial strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets as “devastating,” suggesting they significantly weakened Iran’s position.
“That first night was devastating,” he said. “It really knocked the one side off—devastating. A devastating evening, day, and it pretty much proceeded that way.”
Asked about the future of the Iranian regime and the possibility of its collapse, Trump remained vague. “I have a plan for everything, but we’ll see what happens. Got a ways to go,” he said, repeating his view that Iran “should have” made a nuclear deal when they had the chance.
He also claimed that Iranian officials “want to meet” and have expressed interest in coming to the White House—though Tehran has firmly denied any such intentions.
“I haven’t closed the door on meeting with them,” Trump added.
