Trump said to explore 'nuclear option' against Iran

United States President Donald Trump began "vaguely" inquiring about a "nuclear option" that would help end the conflict with Iran more quickly, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh wrote on Substack on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Hersh cautioned that "it was just inside talk to senior staff by a frustrated president." Offering further details about a secret meeting in the White House where conflict with Iran was discussed, Hersh said that one of the participants was "shocked" that the US leader could raise the topic of nuclear war so "casually." Furthermore, Trump had been described as "desperate" not to suffer defeat against Iran.

Trump then allegedly proposed that Tehran should be warned that Washington was "extremely seriously" considering a nuclear escalation, only to be ultimately dissuaded by those present from pursuing such a strategy.