President Donald Trump ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, stating there is no reason for such an action. The announcement followed retaliatory missile strikes by Iran on US forces in Jordan.

Trump Dismisses Nuclear Option

During an Oval Office event on Monday, Trump addressed a reporter’s question regarding the potential use of nuclear weapons against Iran. He stated, "I rule out. There’s no reason for it," while criticizing the inquiry as a "stupid question."

Trump argued that Iran has already suffered a decisive military defeat, making further escalation with nuclear weapons unnecessary. "Here they are. They’re totally defeated militarily," he said, adding that defeating them again with nuclear weapons would be illogical.

Iran Retaliates After US Strike

The diplomatic exchange follows military escalations in the region. On Sunday, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on two US air bases in Jordan. This retaliation came after the US military struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US targeted the launchers because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was reportedly preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines. Jordanian authorities confirmed that air defenses intercepted and destroyed eight missiles entering its airspace, with no reported casualties or damage.

These strikes mark the first US attacks on Iranian targets since late July. The IRGC described the US and Israeli actions as a "strategic and deadly mistake" and vowed continued retaliation.

Economic Pressure and Future Response

Fox News reporter Trey Yingst reported that Trump vowed a strong US response to Iran’s overnight missile attack. "We’re going to hit them hard," Trump told Fox News, confirming that "there will be a response."

Earlier, Trump announced what he termed the "most crushing economic operation ever taken" against any country. He targeted Iran and warned nations supporting Tehran financially would face severe consequences. Trump stated that Iran’s military infrastructure had been devastated and urged allies to help "isolate and defeat" the Iranian threat.

He also warned that oil smuggling, cash transfers, swap lines, and other financial channels supporting Iran must stop immediately. Reiterating his stance on nuclear proliferation, Trump said, "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."

President Donald Trump and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) argued on Monday that American resistance to data centers directly benefits China in the global artificial intelligence race. Trump stated Beijing "could not be happier" with the backlash, while Lummis characterized Chinese efforts to derail US AI leadership as a sign of "desperation."

Political Stakes

Lummis posted on X that the Chinese Communist Party is "working overtime" to undermine America's position. She cited an Axios report detailing X's Safety team findings of a bot farm comprising approximately 200,000 suspected accounts. Within this network, 200 accounts were identified as posting content designed to manipulate debates on US AI and energy policy.

Trump escalated his advocacy on Truth Social, warning communities that reject these facilities risk becoming "backwards and poor." He contrasted this with areas that embrace them, which he claimed will become "successful and rich" with lower taxes and abundant jobs. Trump added, "if we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame."

The stance drew mixed reactions. Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene mocked Trump's position, saying, "Good luck winning the midterms now." Conversely, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) noted that Americans opposing data centers "have every right to be concerned."

Public Sentiment

Polling data indicates significant public resistance to the infrastructure expansion. A University of Pennsylvania survey conducted earlier this month found that 61% of Americans now oppose new data centers in their area. This figure represents a sharp increase from 49% just four months prior.

A separate YouGov poll revealed that only 24% of Americans view data center construction as beneficial for the country, while 47% consider it harmful. Furthermore, 62% of respondents believe a new facility in their community would raise electricity bills.

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between political urgency and public sentiment is stark. While Trump and Lummis frame data center adoption as critical for national security and economic prosperity, a majority of Americans (61%) oppose local development. This opposition is driven largely by economic anxiety, with nearly two-thirds (62%) fearing higher utility costs rather than abstract geopolitical concerns.