Trump rules out using a nuclear bomb on Iran: Why that matters

It is the first time the president has definitively addressed nuclear weapons, but he did not deny US could use ‘mother of all bombs’.

A US Air Force image from 2003 shows the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb prototype moments before impact at an undisclosed location. The detonation created a mushroom cloud that could be seen from up to 32km (20 miles) away [File: US Airforce/via AFP]

United States President Donald Trump has for the first time explicitly ruled out the use of a nuclear weapon against Iran, but has not denied US media reports that his administration is considering deploying the US’s most lethal non-nuclear munition , nicknamed the “mother of all bombs” in the near future.

In an interview published on Thursday by right-wing American news site Newsmax, Trump suggested he does not plan to use nuclear weapons, but also clarified that the devastating aerial weapon, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB – ‘mother of all bombs ) “is not nuclear”.

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“I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to. We’re the greatest nuclear power in the world,” he told Newsmax.

The comments marked Trump’s first definitive statement on the nuclear topic following speculation about a possible atomic conflict earlier in the US and Israel’s war on Iran. They also appeared to confirm speculation that another phase of the war is imminent, likely after the US midterm elections on November 3.

Here’s what we know:

A satellite view of tunnel entrances on Pickaxe Mountain at the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran, June 30, 2026 [Vantor/via Reuters]

Trump told Newsmax that the US might indeed launch another strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, particularly on Pickaxe Mountain, where Tehran is believed to be hiding a nuclear facility deep under layers of granite.

He ruled out using a nuclear weapon or a tactical nuclear weapon.

“I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to. We’re the greatest nuclear power in the world,” he said.

He also clarified that the MOAB, which CNN reported the US government is considering using, “is not nuclear”.

Responding to a question about whether the MOAB is “tactical nuclear” – meaning smaller nuclear munitions – Trump reiterated that it is not.

“Well, the mother of all bombs is not nuclear,” Trump said. “It’s not nuclear at all. This is just an extremely large bomb.”

Trump declined to say whether he had authorised its use in Iran.

Trump also suggested renewed attacks are likely in the near future. The US cannot end the war now because it has to ensure Iran cannot produce a nuclear weapon, he argued, saying he believes that “if they had it, they would use it, in my opinion, instantaneously”.

Trump also reiterated that the war would end “very soon” whether by force or diplomacy and that oil prices would then drop.

When asked if he would put “troops on the ground”, Trump said: “No, I don’t see that, I don’t see it.” Earlier in the war, Trump had made comments regarding sending in troops, a move analysts said would be devastating for US soldiers because of Iran’s mountainous territory.

What is the ‘mother of all bombs’?

The MOAB carries a massive payload of about 8,500kg (18,000 pounds or 8.5 tonnes) of high explosives. It weighs 9,800kg (21,605 pounds or nearly 10 tonnes) – about the same as four cars – and is just over nine metres (about 30 feet) long. Stealth bombers are too small to carry it, so it has to be deployed by larger, Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporters.

It is designed to explode a few metres above the ground, sending out intense fireballs that can blast buildings and other hard-surface structures within a 1km radius, experts have told Al Jazeera. It is so powerful that a mushroom cloud from its blast has been seen 32km (20 miles) away in tests, the US Air Force has said.

“Its large explosive charge can produce devastating blast effects against exposed personnel, equipment and vulnerable structures,” Brussels-based military and weapons analyst Elijah Magnier said. “Its purpose is to generate an exceptionally powerful blast across a surface area.”

However, Magnier said there is doubt about whether using the massive surface explosive would be effective against deeply buried nuclear installations in Iran. He added that the terrain in Iran could be difficult for larger cargo aircraft to access.

What has Trump previously said about nuclear weapons?

Trump has never explicitly mentioned using a nuclear weapon, but he has also never ruled it out.

Speculation regarding whether Washington might use nuclear weapons was rife in the early days of the conflict, largely because of the extreme nature of Trump’s numerous threats against Tehran.

In April, for example, as Iran enforced a blockade on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump posted on his Truth Social site that “…a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again”, if Iran did not agree to a peace deal and reopen the strait.

He also threatened to destroy Iran’s infrastructure, saying a bombing campaign “will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one”, in Iran.

Experts widely interpreted his statements as a threat of nuclear destruction, but one that still failed to force Iran to the table.

Although Trump largely moved away from his sabre-rattling rhetoric in the following weeks, he reiterated at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month that he could “annihilate” Iran. He also told the assembly that he believed a deal would emerge after the midterms.

What is a ‘tactical’ nuclear weapon?

“Tactical” nuclear weapons (TNW) are smaller nuclear munitions designed for the battlefield as opposed to strategic nuclear munitions designed for mass destruction.

Some perceive TNWs as having a lesser impact than an atomic bomb, but experts warn that their names are misleading and they can nevertheless be devastating. Their explosive yield, between 0.3 and 50 kilotons, can impact areas within a 500-600km radius.

The US dropped a 15-kiloton nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, meaning that weapon would today be considered a TNW. The US, North Korea and Russia have TNWs in their arsenals, although no country has ever used them. TNWs are not subject to any international treaties and are largely unregulated.

What might another US attack on Iran look like?

With Trump failing to rule out dropping the MOAB, analysts speculate that the US might launch another – perhaps final – intensive bombing campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and defence sites, particularly Pickaxe Mountain.

The US could also continue its naval blockade on Iranian ports, while providing escorts for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has vowed to respond to escalatory strikes by targeting oil and digital infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf states.

Senior defence officials have also warned that Iran will invade its neighbours if the US launches a ground operation, although Trump appears to have ruled that out.

Earlier in the war, he hinted at the possibility of sending ground forces to retrieve some 400kg of “yellowcake” – highly enriched uranium that Washington and Israel claim Tehran has hidden underground.

Trump’s phone calls in March to Kurdish militia groups fighting Iran provoked speculation that Washington could coordinate with them for an invasion, although that did not happen.

这是总统首次明确谈及核武器问题，但他并未否认美国可能使用“所有炸弹之母”。

一张美国空军2003年的照片显示，GBU-43/B巨型空爆炸弹原型在撞击某处未公开地点前瞬间的景象。爆炸产生的蘑菇云在32公里（20英里）外都能看到。[图片来源：美国空军/法新社]

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普首次明确排除了对伊朗使用核武器的可能性，但他并未否认美国媒体的报道，即他的政府正在考虑在不久的将来部署美国最致命的非核弹药，这种弹药被戏称为“所有炸弹之母”。

在周四由美国右翼新闻网站 Newsmax 发表的一次采访中，特朗普暗示他没有使用核武器的计划，但也澄清说，毁灭性的空中武器 GBU-43/B 巨型空爆炸弹（MOAB——“炸弹之母”）“不是核武器”。

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“我不会使用核能。我们没必要使用。我们是世界上最强大的核能国家，”他告诉Newsmax新闻网。

这是特朗普就核问题发表的首个明确声明。此前，外界曾猜测美国可能爆发核冲突，以色列也曾对伊朗发动战争。这些言论似乎也证实了此前的猜测，即核战争的下一阶段即将到来，很可能发生在11月3日美国中期选举之后。

我们目前掌握的情况如下：

2026年6月30日，伊朗纳坦兹核设施皮卡兹山隧道入口的卫星图像 [Vantor/via Reuters]

特朗普告诉 Newsmax，美国确实可能对伊朗的核设施发动另一次打击，特别是对皮卡克斯山的核设施，据信德黑兰在那里花岗岩层下深处隐藏着一个核设施。

他排除了使用核武器或战术核武器的可能性。

“我不会使用核能。我们没必要使用。我们是世界上最强大的核能国家，”他说。

他还澄清说，据 CNN 报道，美国政府正在考虑使用的“炸弹之母”（MOAB）“并非核武器”。

当被问及“炸弹之母”是否属于“战术核武器”（即较小的核弹药）时，特朗普重申它不是。

“嗯，所谓‘炸弹之母’并非核武器，”特朗普说。“它根本不是核武器。这只是一枚威力极其巨大的炸弹。”

特朗普拒绝透露他是否授权在伊朗使用核武器。

特朗普还暗示，近期内很可能再次发生袭击。他辩称，美国现在不能结束战争，因为必须确保伊朗无法制造核武器，并表示他相信“如果他们拥有核武器，依我看，他们会立即使用”。

特朗普还重申，无论通过武力还是外交手段，这场战争都将“很快”结束，届时油价将会下跌。

当被问及是否会“派遣地面部队”时，特朗普表示：“不，我不这么认为，我不这么认为。” 此前，特朗普曾发表过有关派遣部队的言论，分析人士指出，鉴于伊朗多山的地形，此举将对美军造成毁灭性打击。

什么是“炸弹之母”？

“炸弹之母”（MOAB）携带约8500公斤（18000磅或8.5吨）高爆炸药。其自身重量为9800公斤（21605磅或近10吨），相当于四辆汽车的重量，长度略超过9米（约30英尺）。隐形轰炸机体积太小，无法携带这种炸弹，因此必须由更大的洛克希德C-130“大力神”运输机进行投放。

据半岛电视台报道，专家称，这种炸弹设计成在离地几米处爆炸，释放出强烈的火球，足以摧毁方圆1公里内的建筑物和其他坚硬表面结构。美国空军表示，它的威力非常强大，在测试中，爆炸产生的蘑菇云甚至在32公里（20英里）外都能看到。

“它巨大的爆炸装药会对暴露在外的人员、设备和脆弱的建筑物造成毁灭性的爆炸影响，”布鲁塞尔的军事和武器分析师伊利亚·马格尼尔说。“它的目的是在一定范围内产生威力极大的爆炸。”

然而，马格尼尔表示，使用这种大型地面炸药能否有效摧毁伊朗境内深埋的核设施仍存疑。他还补充说，伊朗的地形可能不利于大型运输机进入。

特朗普此前对核武器发表过哪些言论？

特朗普从未明确提及使用核武器，但也从未排除过这种可能性。

在冲突初期，关于华盛顿是否会使用核武器的猜测甚嚣尘上，这主要是因为特朗普对德黑兰发出了多次极端威胁。

例如，今年 4 月，伊朗封锁霍尔木兹海峡的船只时，特朗普在他的 Truth Social 网站上发帖称，如果伊朗不同意和平协议并重新开放海峡，“……一个文明今晚将灭亡，而且永远不会再回来”。

他还威胁要摧毁伊朗的基础设施，称对伊朗的轰炸行动“将相当于‘发电厂日’和‘桥梁日’，两者合二为一”。

专家们普遍将他的言论解读为核毁灭的威胁，但这仍然未能迫使伊朗回到谈判桌前。

尽管特朗普在接下来的几周里基本放弃了咄咄逼人的言论，但他上个月在纽约联合国大会上重申，他可以“摧毁”伊朗。他还告诉大会，他相信中期选举后会达成协议。

什么是“战术”核武器？

“战术”核武器（TNW）是设计用于战场的较小核弹药，与设计用于大规模杀伤的战略核弹药相对。

有些人认为战术核武器的影响小于原子弹，但专家警告说，它们的名称具有误导性，而且它们仍然可能造成毁灭性后果。它们的爆炸当量在0.3至50千吨之间，可影响半径500至600公里范围内的区域。

美国向广岛投掷了一枚15千吨级的原子弹，这意味着这种武器在今天会被视为战术核武器。美国、朝鲜和俄罗斯的武库中都拥有战术核武器，尽管没有任何国家使用过它们。战术核武器不受任何国际条约的约束，也基本处于不受监管的状态。

美国再次对伊朗发动攻击可能会是什么样子？

由于特朗普没有排除投放“炸弹之母”的可能性，分析人士推测，美国可能会发动另一次——或许是最后一次——针对伊朗核设施和国防设施的密集轰炸行动，特别是针对皮克克斯山的轰炸行动。

美国还可以继续对伊朗港口实施海上封锁，同时为通过霍尔木兹海峡的商船提供护航。

伊朗誓言将对邻国海湾国家的石油和数字基础设施发动袭击，以回应任何升级的袭击。

高级国防官员也警告说，如果美国发动地面军事行动，伊朗将入侵其邻国，尽管特朗普似乎已经排除了这种可能性。

战争初期，他曾暗示有可能派遣地面部队去取回约 400 公斤的“黄饼”——华盛顿和以色列声称德黑兰将其藏匿于地下的高浓缩铀。

特朗普在三月份与对抗伊朗的库尔德民兵组织通话，引发了人们的猜测，认为华盛顿可能会与他们协调入侵伊朗，尽管这种情况并没有发生。