Former CIA officer John Kiriakou alleged that President Donald Trump is considering a tactical nuclear strike against an underground Iranian nuclear facility, raising concerns about nuclear escalation and the broader consequences of such a move.
Trump’s Nuclear Strike Plans
On Monday, speaking to Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Kiriakou said he had heard from contacts at the White House that Trump was considering using a tactical nuclear weapon against an underground Iranian facility identified in the discussion as Pika Mountain.
Kiriakou claimed the president wanted to break the “final taboo” surrounding nuclear weapons, potentially making their use more acceptable to future U.S. administrations.
“I think it’s crazy,” Kiriakou said.
Piers Morgan Warns of Nuclear Escalation
Morgan warned that using nuclear weapons could undermine America’s position against other nuclear powers, particularly Russia.
“Immediately Vladimir Putin looks at Ukraine. He looks at a, a strangled battlefield and you think, oh, great. I can use a tactical nuke,” Morgan said.
Kiriakou responded, “Americans did it, I can do it now too.”
The former CIA officer also argued that a nuclear strike would not necessarily defeat Iran, citing the country’s size, population and geography.
“Even a nuclear bomb is not going to win this war,” he said, adding, “Donald Trump just doesn’t seem to understand, we’ve already lost the war.”
Kiriakou further argued that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had persuaded Trump that eliminating Iran’s leadership would trigger the collapse of its government, an assumption he said had proved wrong.
US-Iran Tensions Persist as Trump Weighs Next Move
CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly urged Trump to maintain economic pressure on Iran rather than restart the war or negotiate a deal, an approach backed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump claimed the U.S. had “crippled them financially” and said it had already won the war, promising to end the conflict soon.
Last week, Iran reported tanker explosions in the Strait of Hormuz, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of immediate retaliation against renewed U.S. strikes.
Trump said negotiations were progressing but suggested the U.S. could target “one or two sites,” including Pickaxe Mountain.
Rubio said no decision had been made on resuming military action, as reports indicated Washington had alerted Arab countries to prepare for possible strikes after the Nov. 3 midterms.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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