Trump himself stoked fears of the possible use of nuclear weapons at the beginning of April.Image: AFP
April 24, 2026, 05:35April 24, 2026, 05:48
US President Donald Trump rules out the use of nuclear weapons in the current war with Iran and generally considers it to be impermissible – regardless of which country. During an appearance at the White House, he replied to a reporter’s question: “No, I wouldn’t use them. A nuclear weapon should never be used by anyone.”
The very question of whether he would consider dropping a nuclear bomb on Iran was “stupid,” Trump said. “Why would I need a nuclear weapon if we have already completely decimated it using conventional means without it?” It remained unclear who or what exactly he meant by “they” – the Iranian leadership, its armed forces, Iran’s weapons arsenal, or all of the above.
At the beginning of April, Trump himself stoked fears of the possible use of nuclear weapons by making a threat to Iran that was drastic even by his standards: “An entire civilization will perish tonight, never to return,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform – triggering sharp international criticism.
Only the USA has used nuclear weapons in war
Nuclear powers have formulated guidelines (“doctrines”) as to whether and under what conditions nuclear weapons can be used. The US last did this in 2022 under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden. Russian President Vladimir Putin approved new principles for the use of nuclear weapons in 2024.
At the end of the Second World War, the USA dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. They were the first – and so far only – nuclear weapons attacks in the history of war.
What are tactical and strategic nuclear weapons?
In general, nuclear weapons are divided into different classes, which differ according to the target of use, the explosive power and the range of the delivery system. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for limited use against opponents in ongoing combat and have a lower yield than strategic nuclear weapons. They are generally intended for use on short and medium-haul systems.
In contrast, strategic nuclear weapons, with their even greater destructive power, serve primarily to deter and comprehensively destroy the enemy’s distant targets. They can be targeted with intercontinental ballistic missiles. (sda/dpa)