#nuclear
10 entries with this tag
Trump Is Bombing Iran to Stop It From Enriching Uranium — and in the Same Week Signed a Deal Giving Saudi Arabia a Path to Enrich Uranium, Reversing Decades of U.S. Nonproliferation Policy, Handing the Technology to the Crown Prince Who Ordered Khashoggi's Murder, and Then Denying on Truth Social That His Own Signed Deal Allows Any Enrichment at All
On July 22, 2026 — as U.S. forces waged the deadliest stretch of a war against Iran that Trump justifies as preventing Tehran from enriching uranium — the administration signed a landmark civil-nuclear "123 agreement" with Saudi Arabia that opens a path for the kingdom to enrich uranium itself. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the 30-year deal, under which U.S. companies would help build the Saudi program, including a potential uranium-enrichment facility pending a joint feasibility study. It reverses the longstanding U.S. "gold standard" that required partner nations to forgo enrichment and reprocessing — the exact capability Trump is dropping bombs on Iran to deny it. Critics called the double standard staggering: Sen. Ed Markey said the administration is "allowing Saudi Arabia, a belligerent and authoritarian nation, to develop nuclear weapons technologies while starting a war with Iran under the guise of preventing an Iranian nuclear bomb." Former Sen. Claire McCaskill, reacting on MSNBC, put it plainly: "It's nuts!" Then Trump contradicted his own government: after officials and the agreement text referenced enrichment, he posted on Truth Social, "There will be no enrichment of material!" He also said the deal hinges on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel. The recipient is the government of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom U.S. intelligence concluded ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The agreement takes effect unless both chambers of Congress pass resolutions to block it within 90 days — meaning it would need a veto-proof supermajority to stop, and almost certainly stands. The message to the world: America's friends may enrich uranium; its enemies get bombed for it — a precedent that guts the nonproliferation regime and hands Iran every reason to seek the bomb.
The Full Text of Trump's 14-Point Iran Deal: Lift the Blockade, Waive Oil Sanctions, Unfreeze Assets, Pay $300 Billion — and Iran Keeps Its Missiles, Its Proxies, and Its Nuclear Program
A senior U.S. official read the 14-point "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding" to reporters on a call Wednesday. The full text reveals: the U.S. will immediately lift its naval blockade, waive all Iranian oil sanctions, unfreeze all restricted Iranian assets, commit to ending all sanctions (UN, IAEA, and unilateral), and fund a $300 billion reconstruction plan — in exchange for Iran reiterating it "will never produce nuclear weapons" (a promise it already made under the JCPOA) and reopening the Strait of Hormuz (which was open before the war). Iran's missile program is not mentioned. Its proxy networks are not mentioned. Its enriched uranium stockpile is deferred to a "final agreement." Sen. Murphy: "Make no mistake: these are Iran's terms. They made one single concession — opening the Strait. And it's not even a concession because the Strait was open before the war." The Institute for the Study of War: Iran "emerged from the conflict in a stronger strategic position." Trump withdrew from Obama's JCPOA calling it the "worst deal ever." He then started a war, killed over 1,700 Iranian civilians, and signed a deal that gives Iran more than the JCPOA did — without addressing the missiles he said justified leaving the JCPOA in the first place.
"Unacceptable" and "Obscene": Vindman Condemns Trump and Hegseth's Cavalier Attitude Toward U.S. Deaths in Iran
Rep. Eugene Vindman called Trump and Hegseth's attitude toward American casualties in Iran "unacceptable" and "obscene." At least 15 U.S. troops dead, 520+ wounded. Hegseth boasted of "death and destruction from the sky all day long" and said "We are punching them while they're down." Trump joked it was "more fun" to sink warships than capture them. The Pentagon has been accused of hiding casualty numbers.
Trump Now Blockades the Strait He Threatened to End a Civilization to Reopen
After peace talks collapsed, Trump ordered a full U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — "any and all ships" in either direction. Iran had been letting tankers through for a $2M toll. Trump spent weeks threatening to end Iran's civilization over the strait's partial closure. Now the U.S. is closing it itself.
Vance After 21 Hours in Islamabad: "They Have Chosen Not to Accept Our Terms"
Vice President JD Vance — lead U.S. negotiator — announced the Iran talks are dead after a 21-hour marathon in Islamabad. Both delegations going home. No nuclear deal. No Lebanon ceasefire. No Strait of Hormuz reopened. Six weeks of war, 13 dead, $25 billion spent — to end at "they chose not to accept our terms."
Iran Ceasefire: A "Temporary Win" That Cost Thousands of Lives, $1B+ in Equipment, and U.S. Credibility
After 6 weeks, $25B+, 13 U.S. dead, $1B+ in destroyed equipment, and threatening to end "a whole civilization" — Trump agreed to a 2-week ceasefire if Iran reopens the Strait. Iran declared "victory." The nuclear program is intact. The Strait gets a $2M-per-ship Iranian toll.
DOGE Mass Firings and Federal Worker Chaos
Trump empowered Elon Musk's "DOGE" to slash the federal workforce, firing ~25,000 workers in weeks — including nuclear bomb specialists and bird flu responders who had to be immediately rehired. Courts ordered mass reinstatements.
Suggested Nuking Hurricanes
Trump reportedly asked officials multiple times "Why don't we nuke them?" about hurricanes, suggesting dropping nuclear bombs into the eye of a storm. NOAA literally has a FAQ page explaining why this won't work.
Kim Jong Un "Love Letters" Got Nothing
Trump held three summits with Kim Jong Un, exchanged "love letters," cancelled military exercises, and legitimized the dictator on the world stage. North Korea got everything; the U.S. got nothing. NK expanded from ~30 to ~50 warheads.
Withdrew from Iran Nuclear Deal — Iran Accelerated Enrichment
Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal while Iran was in full compliance. Without the agreement's constraints, Iran enriched uranium to 60% (near weapons-grade) and deployed advanced centrifuges. No replacement deal was ever achieved.