President Trump calls reporter’s question on nukes in Iran ‘stupid’ during Oval Office exchange
President Donald Trump has seemingly ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran.
With his latest comment on the possibility, he clarified his stance on the situation, but not before snapping at the reporter for asking the “stupid” question.
Donald Trump’s response to using nuclear weapons on Iran
On Monday, August 31, NewsNation reporter Libby Dean asked Trump in the Oval Office whether he had ruled out a nuclear strike against Iran (via Daily Mail).
“Well, I would never say that, but the answer is yes, I ruled out … no reason for it. What a stupid question that is actually,” Trump said.
He then pointed to the state of the conflict and argued that Iran had already suffered a major military loss.
“Here they are, they’re totally defeated militarily. So now I defeat them and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of it?” Trump added. “What a stupid question.”
Trump described Iran as a “failed nation” and claimed the country faced “350 percent inflation” and had “no currency.” He asserted that Iranian leaders were “largely dead” and that the U.S. is continually trying to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and oil tankers moving safely.
He made a similar statement in April after PBS News reporter Liz Landers asked about nuclear weapons.
“We don’t need it. Why do I need it? Why would a stupid question like that be asked?” Trump said at the time. “Why would I use a nuclear weapon where we’ve totally in a very conventional way decimated them without it.”
Elbridge Colby outlined U.S. nuclear strategy, triggering conservative backlash
Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby, however, has discussed a broader review of America’s nuclear strategy at the August 5, United States Strategic Command Deterrence Symposium (via the U.S. Department of War).
He called nuclear forces and modernization the “single most important initiative” for the U.S. military. Moreover, he asserted that the country needs a survivable nuclear triad, secure second-strike forces and a reliable extended deterrent linked with conventional forces.
Colby also said officials want to give the president “credible, rational nuclear options” while stressing that the goal remains to deter and avoid war.
Such remarks have drawn fierce criticism from conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson. “The second any president actively considers the first use of nuclear weapons, that person should be removed from office immediately, because that’s got to be the red line, destroying all of humanity with a nuclear strike,” he said during an episode of “The Tucker Carlson Show.”
“Why isn’t there an attempt to remove him from office, like, immediately?” he stated. “Anyone who would even tolerate that kind of talk from any of his subordinates or employees is by definition unfit.”