US President Donald Trump arrives to address a luncheon in the White House Rose Garden on October 15, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietch | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump has said he has no intention of using nuclear weapons against Iran and has no plans to deploy ground forces to Iran.
“I would not use nuclear weapons. There is no need to use them. We are the largest nuclear power in the world,” he said in an interview with Newsmax aired Thursday evening.
The right-wing cable station asked President Trump about reports that Washington is considering using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs.”
“The mother of all bombs is not nuclear. It’s not nuclear at all. It’s just a very big bomb. It’s like a small nuclear bomb. But the mother of all bombs is one big bomb, but it’s not nuclear,” he said, without specifically confirming or denying the report.
Asked if he would “put troops on the ground,” Trump said, “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so.”
MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. It was used in combat against ISIS fighters in Afghanistan in 2017.
MOAB strike plan
CNN reported early Thursday that the U.S. military is developing a new attack plan to target Iran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
The newspaper said airstrikes could be carried out if President Trump orders a resumption of combat operations around the midterm elections. The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
President Trump said on October 8 that he had no intention of ordering a resumption of military strikes before the November 3 midterm elections.
Hormuz attack risk
Merchants passing through the Strait of Hormuz face additional risks following a series of attacks on the vital waterway.
Britain’s Maritime Trade Services Authority said the threat in the Strait of Hormuz remains “serious” after the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was struck by an unknown projectile, caught fire and subsequently sank.
The UKMTO said it had recorded eight attacks on the vital waterway since October 11, adding that a “deliberate act of hostility” was very likely.
