Trump Repeats 23-Year-Old False Iran Nuclear Threat Claim to Defend 2026 War
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 8
Trump Repeats 23-Year-Old False Iran Nuclear Threat Claim to Defend 2026 War
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 8
Summary
San Antonio remarks on Wednesday saw Donald Trump again claim the February war with Iran was needed to stop a nuclear strike on Los Angeles or San Diego.
A March 2025 US intelligence assessment told Congress that Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and was not building a bomb, contradicting Trump's justification.
Trump also omitted that Iran has no missiles capable of reaching the United States, even as he said Tehran would "use" a nuclear weapon if allowed to obtain one.
The speech revived the same rationale Trump used after ordering June 2025 US strikes on Iran's main nuclear-enrichment facility, which he said had been "obliterated."