WATCH: 'Can't let' Iran have a nuclear weapon, Trump says
#Trump#Iran nuclear#State of the Union#Middle East military#diplomatic talks#nuclear weapons#terrorism#military buildup
📌 Key Takeaways
Trump vows to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons
US deploys largest military presence to Middle East in decades
Trump administration plans to restart talks with Iran over nuclear program
Statement comes amid significant domestic and international challenges for Trump
📖 Full Retelling
President Donald Trump declared during his State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, that he will not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon, as the United States simultaneously deployed its largest military presence of warships and aircraft to the Middle East in decades. The president made this statement while outlining his administration's approach to restarting diplomatic talks with Iran over its nuclear program, emphasizing his firm stance against what he called 'the world's No. 1 sponsor of terror.' Trump's remarks come amid significant geopolitical tensions in the region, with the US military buildup serving as both a deterrent and a diplomatic backdrop for the anticipated negotiations. The administration's position reflects a continuation of Trump's 'maximum pressure' approach to Iran, though with the stated intention of returning to diplomatic channels after months of heightened tensions. This announcement follows a tumultuous period in Trump's presidency marked by aggressive deregulation, numerous executive actions, and significant political challenges including Supreme Court setbacks, partial government shutdowns, and ongoing investigations.
🏷️ Themes
Nuclear proliferation, Diplomacy, Military strategy
Annual report by the president of the United States
The State of the Union address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The speech generally includes reports...
Iran's nuclear program, one of the most scrutinized in the world, has sparked intense international concern. While Iran asserts that its nuclear ambitions are purely for civilian purposes, including energy production, the country historically pursued the secretive AMAD nuclear weapons project (stopp...
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...
By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-cant-let-iran-have-a-nuclear-weapon-trump-says Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: 'Can't let' Iran have a nuclear weapon, Trump says Politics Feb 24, 2026 11:30 PM EST President Donald Trump said he wants to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon during his State of the Union address Tuesday. Watch the full clip in our video player above. The U.S. has been building up its largest military presence of American warships and aircraft in decades in the Middle East, as the Trump administration plans to restart talks with Iran over its nuclear program. "I will never allow the world's No. 1 sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon," the president said. "Can't let that happen." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Trump's address comes after 13 months of break-neck deregulation, a record number of executive actions, mass layoffs, aggressive immigration tactics and more. Ahead of the speech, Trump was expected to outline his administration's accomplishments, make his case for keeping his party in power this November and celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's independence. At the same time, a number of pain points have threatened to overshadow Trump's positive messages during his primetime speech. On Friday, the Supreme Court delivered a major setback to Trump's agenda when it struck down his sweeping tariffs. A partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, brought on by Democratic opposition to Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement, seems to have no end in sight. And questions about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation continue to dog his administration. Accordin...
