Trump Rules Out Nuclear Weapons and U.S. Ground Troops in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran and said he did not expect to send American ground forces, as attacks in the Strait of Hormuz keep commercial shipping under threat.

In a televised interview, Trump said the United States had no need to use its nuclear arsenal. “I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to,” he said.

He also said he did not see U.S. troops entering Iran. Asked about the GBU-43/B, commonly known as the MOAB, Trump described it as a large conventional bomb. He did not confirm or deny whether the weapon was being considered for use. The GBU-43/B is the largest non-nuclear weapon in the U.S. arsenal; it was used against Islamic State militants in Afghanistan in 2017.

On Oct. 8, Trump said he would not order military strikes to resume before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz faces heightened risk after multiple attacks. The Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride was hit by an unknown projectile, caught fire and sank. Eight attacks in the waterway have been recorded since Oct. 11.