Thursday, June 19, 2025 - 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.
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