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| ▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event on health care affordability in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on April 23, 2026, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) Trump-Iran-nuclear weapon
(LEAD) Trump says he won't use nuclear weapon in Iran war
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 8-10, 16)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, April 23 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out using a nuclear weapon in the war against Iran, noting that he hopes to make the "best" peace deal with the Islamic Republic and does not want to "rush" himself.
Trump made the remarks during a press availability, two days after he announced an extension of a ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a "unified" proposal. His administration believes Iran is grappling with internal division between moderates and hard-liners, which makes it difficult to come up with a coherent response.
"Why would I use a nuclear weapon? We've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it," he told reporters at the White House, responding to a question about whether he would use a nuclear weapon in the war, which he decried as "stupid."
"No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody," he added.
Asked how long he is willing to wait until Iran submits a proposal, Trump expressed his intention not to "rush."
"Don't rush me ... We were in Vietnam for 18 years. We were in Iraq for many, many years ... We were four and a half, almost five years in World War II. We were in the Korean War for seven years," he said.
"I've been doing this for six weeks and their military is totally defeated."
Touching on the Iranian leadership, Trump said that it is "in turmoil," and that "they are fighting like cats and dogs for who's going to control" the country.
"They want to make a deal. We've been speaking to them, but they don't even know who is leading the country," he said.
He noted that Iran "maybe loaded up a little bit" during the ceasefire, but the U.S. will "knock that out about one day."
Trump underscored his push for "the best deal" with Iran, which is "everlasting."
"Remember this. I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now. Do you know that if I left right now, we had a tremendous success (and) it would take them 20 years to rebuild?" he said. "But I don't want to do that. I want to have it everlasting."
He rejected the notion that he is under pressure to make a deal.
"I don't want to rush myself ...Every story says Trump is under time pressure. I am not," he said.
In a social media post earlier in the day, Trump cast himself as "possibly the least pressured person ever," saying that a deal will only be made "when it's appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World."
Commenting on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said that the U.S. has "total control" of the vital waterway.
"It will open when they make a deal or something else happens that's very positive," he said.
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