Trump Claims Iran Spent “Trillions” on Nuclear Program Before US Strike

President Donald Trump asserted on Wednesday that Iran had spent “trillions of dollars” attempting to enrich uranium before US strikes on its nuclear sites ended the 12-day Iran-Israel war. He controversially compared these strikes to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Trump claimed that despite immense financial investment, Iran “couldn’t come up with this” (nuclear weapons) and that the US strikes finally put an end to their ambitions. He dismissed intelligence reports that indicated a limited impact of the strikes, maintaining that Iran’s nuclear facilities were “completely destroyed.”
The conflict began with Israel’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, driven by concerns about nuclear proliferation. Iran consistently denied these claims, asserting its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes. The 12-day conflict resulted in extensive damage and casualties.
A ceasefire, which Trump reportedly brokered, was in effect. Trump’s statements suggest a belief in the economic and strategic futility of Iran’s nuclear efforts prior to the US intervention.