Trump Rules Out Nuclear Weapons and US Ground Troops in Iran, MOAB Strike Option Emerges

US President Donald Trump has ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran and dismissed the possibility of deploying American ground troops in the country, even as the US military prepares new options for strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. According to a CNN report, these options could include the use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US military's arsenal.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump clarified that the “Mother of All Bombs” is not a nuclear weapon but an extremely powerful conventional bomb. Asked whether he would use nuclear weapons against Iran, he said, “No, I will not use nuclear weapons. We don't need to.” When asked whether he would consider deploying American troops on the ground in Iran, Trump responded, “I don't see that happening.”
The statements come as Washington considers additional military options amid the ongoing war with Iran. According to CNN, citing officials familiar with military planning, Trump has directed the US military to prepare new strike options targeting Iran's energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
One of the options reportedly under consideration involves an attack on the suspected nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain in Iran. The potential operation has drawn attention to the challenges of striking nuclear installations located deep underground and protected by layers of rock.
Trump reiterated that the United States would never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. He claimed that American strikes had damaged Iran's nuclear facilities and said the country's nuclear installations were buried beneath mountains. He also indicated that the US was considering targeting Pickaxe Mountain.
The possibility of using the MOAB, however, raises questions about its effectiveness against deeply buried installations.
According to CNN, the GBU-43/B MOAB weighs approximately 21,600 pounds and is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US military's arsenal. The weapon is designed to produce a massive explosion over a large area, but its ability to destroy facilities located deep underground is limited.
Sources familiar with military planning told CNN that the bomb was not designed to penetrate deeply buried targets. The suspected nuclear facilities at Pickaxe Mountain are reportedly surrounded by multiple layers of granite, raising questions about whether the MOAB could reach and destroy installations protected beneath the mountain.
Trump previously authorised the use of the MOAB against Islamic State targets in Afghanistan in 2017. He became the first US president to approve the bomb's use in combat.
Beyond the military options against Iran, Trump also discussed the global nuclear weapons balance and the possibility of arms reduction agreements with Russia and China.
He said the United States had the world's largest nuclear weapons stockpile, followed by Russia in second place and China in third. Trump claimed that China could come close to the US in nuclear weapons capability within the next five years.
Trump further said that Washington was holding discussions with Moscow and Beijing on reducing nuclear arsenals. He expressed hope that, if possible, the talks could also lead to steps towards eliminating nuclear weapons.
With nuclear weapons ruled out and ground troop deployment dismissed by Trump, the reported military planning now centres on potential conventional strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and heavily protected nuclear facilities, including the suspected site at Pickaxe Mountain.