Decades of US Policy: No Iranian Nuclear Weapon — Trump Says He’ll Enforce It

President Trump used his State of the Union Address to ground his Iran policy in a long historical context, arguing that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon has been US policy for decades and that he intends to enforce it more vigorously than any of his predecessors. He said past administrations had declared this goal without backing it up — a pattern he says he has broken.
Trump pointed to Operation Midnight Hammer, last year’s US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, as evidence that he is willing to act where others have only spoken. He claimed the strikes had successfully dismantled Iran’s nuclear weapons program and said they sent a message that the United States is serious about its red lines.
The President expressed frustration that Iran has since tried to rebuild its program, saying the country was explicitly warned not to do so. He said this defiance proves that Iran understands only the language of strength and that diplomatic engagement must be backed by credible military pressure.
Trump acknowledged that active negotiations are underway, with two rounds of talks completed this month. He said Iran appears motivated to reach a deal and that the US is willing to engage — but only if Tehran publicly commits to never building a nuclear weapon.
His overall message was one of continuity and resolve: the United States has long opposed a nuclear Iran, and under his watch, that opposition will be backed by both words and deeds. He said he will make peace wherever possible but will never allow a country he described as the world’s leading terrorism sponsor to cross the nuclear threshold.