Trump says ‘Mother of All Bombs’ is not ‘nuclear’, discusses possible Iran strikes

US President Donald Trump has stressed that the “mother of all bombs” is not a nuclear weapon, as he discussed the possibility of further American strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities amid reports that the Pentagon has prepared plans involving the powerful conventional bomb.

In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump clarified the nature of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), dismissing suggestions that it was a tactical nuclear weapon.

“No, it’s not nuclear at all. This is just an extremely large bomb,” Trump said when asked about the weapon. He compared its destructive power to that of a small nuclear bomb but emphasised that it was conventional.

Trump did not explicitly rule out the use of nuclear weapons in a broader conflict, nor did he confirm whether he had authorised the MOAB’s deployment. However, he said Washington was considering further military action against Iran, including a possible strike on the suspected underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

Reports by CNN and CBS News said the US military and administration had prepared plans involving the MOAB, potentially targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if Trump ordered renewed combat operations. The White House declined to comment on sensitive military planning, saying the president continued to keep all options available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds, the MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. It was first used in combat in April 2017 against an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan. Unlike specialised bunker-busting weapons designed to penetrate deeply buried targets, the MOAB primarily delivers a massive surface blast, raising questions about its effectiveness against facilities buried deep underground.

Trump said the United States had already inflicted significant damage on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure but suggested additional strikes might be necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He indicated that an operation against Pickaxe Mountain would not require American ground troops.

He also predicted that the conflict would end soon, saying Iran was negotiating with Washington. He claimed Iranian officials had requested a halt to American and Israeli military operations and forecast that an end to the war would send oil and petrol prices falling sharply.