Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Iran Conflict topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trump says Iran 'will never have a nuclear weapon,' reiterates tough posture
Summary
Answering reporters, former President Donald J. Trump asserted that Iran's nuclear program has been destroyed, described significant Iranian military degradation and signaled the U.S. could act quickly if needed.
At a press conference in Ankara, 45th and 47th President Donald J. Trump said U.S. efforts had "denuclearize[d] Iran" and that the country "will never have a nuclear weapon." He described recent operations and surveillance that, in his account, left Iran with limited combat capability.
Responding to a question that framed the Iran conflict as a possible strategic dead end, Trump told reporters, "I think we're doing just the opposite. The Iran war has been a tremendous military success." He repeatedly asserted that Iranian ships, radar capabilities and leadership had been eliminated and said the nuclear sites were deeply buried and under surveillance.
Asked by Steve Sedgwick of CNBC about oil-market reactions, Trump said a temporary bump in prices would be followed by declines because, he said, there was an "oil glut" created by U.S. actions. He reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was the overriding priority.
When Steven Nelson of the New York Post asked about security in Ankara and speculation he might not fly on the new Air Force One because of Iranian threats, Trump said he was "number 1 on the kill list for Iran" and described assassination risk as part of the job.
The claims about Iran's military damage, specific casualty and inflation figures and the status of Iran's nuclear program are presented here as statements from the speaker. This article does not independently verify those assertions.
