Latest news with #NATOSummit2025
Mint
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Donald Trump compares Iran strikes to Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombings: ‘That ended the war'
NATO summit 2025: US President Donald Trump, speaking at the NATO Summit on Wednesday, drew sharp global attention with a contentious remark comparing recent US military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II in 1945. He stated, 'That hit ended the war,' drawing a rather controversial parallel between the two events. Addressing the press at the NATO Summit 2025, President Donald Trump claimed that Saturday's US-led strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were decisive in ending the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. 'That hit ended the war. I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima. I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing, that ended that war. This ended that with the war. If we didn't take that out, they would have been, they'd be fighting right now,' Donald Trump said. The United States launched a coordinated assault on three major nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—using bunker-buster bombs designed to damage fortified underground facilities. While Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the strikes a 'complete success,' intelligence assessments reported by CNN offer a more tempered view. Though surface structures suffered significant damage, the core infrastructure of Iran's nuclear programme—including centrifuges and enriched uranium stockpiles—remained largely operational. Pentagon analysts noted that the attacks likely delayed Iran's nuclear ambitions by only a few months, rather than crippling them entirely. Despite this, Trump and Hegseth insisted that Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons had been 'obliterated". Donald Trump's Iran comparison to Hiroshima and Nagasaki comes amid a period of heightened military tension between Iran and Israel, with both nations exchanging strikes in recent weeks. Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes, while Israel and its allies have expressed deep skepticism and concern over its weapons potential. Critics have warned that equating precision military strikes with the nuclear devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is both misleading and potentially inflammatory. 'There's no comparing conventional military strikes, however forceful, with the catastrophic and indiscriminate destruction of atomic bombs,' said Dr. Laura Jenkins, a historian at the University of Chicago. 'The Trump Hiroshima analogy not only distorts history, it risks trivializing the legacy of nuclear warfare.' Others have pointed to the broader diplomatic fallout such remarks could have, especially with nations such as Japan, a key NATO ally, which continues to grapple with the long-term trauma of the 1945 bombings. To fully understand the controversy surrounding Donald Trump's comments, it's important to revisit the historical events he invoked. The US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 were the culmination of years of global conflict and aimed to force Japan into surrender, ending World War II. On 6 August 1945, the US dropped the 'Little Boy' atomic bomb on Hiroshima. On 9 August, the second bomb, 'Fat Man,' was detonated over Nagasaki. The destruction was unprecedented: tens of thousands were killed instantly, with many more succumbing to radiation sickness, burns, and injuries in the months and years that followed. The bombings are credited with prompting Japan's unconditional surrender on 15 August 1945, but they also opened an era of nuclear fear and arms proliferation that shaped the Cold War and beyond. The effects of US atomic bombings in Japan continue to reverberate through the east-Asian nation. Known as hibakusha, survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have faced elevated rates of cancer, genetic disorders, and psychological trauma. 90% of doctors and nurses in Hiroshima perished or were injured in the initial blast, leaving the city's population largely without medical care. Radiation led to a dramatic rise in miscarriages, birth defects, and leukemia. Survivors and their descendants have struggled with mental health issues, including PTSD, often intensified around the anniversaries of the bombings. Japanese Red Cross hospitals still provide care for thousands suffering from radiation-related illnesses, underscoring the enduring legacy of the 1945 attacks. Donald Trump's Hiroshima Iran comparison has reignited global conversations around the ethics and implications of nuclear analogies in modern warfare. While US President Trump insists the Iran nuclear strikes were as decisive as the 1945 atomic bombings in Japan by US, military analysts and historians caution against overstating their impact. 'What happened in Hiroshima was a singular tragedy,' said political scientist Dr. Afsaneh Farhadi. 'Invoking that to justify modern conventional warfare is both inaccurate and insensitive, especially when the evidence suggests Iran's programme is still active.'
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Did Donald Trump's Bombing of Iran Fail? What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has hit back at reports that the strikes he ordered on Iranian nuclear sites were not as effective as he had claimed as questions grow over the success of the attacks. Trump had said that the U.S. strikes had destroyed Iran's ability to make a nuclear bomb—the stated aim by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he launched Operation Rising Lion on June 13. But CNN reported it had seen an assessment by the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) that key parts of the nuclear program, including centrifuges, could be restarted. President Donald Trump arrives at Huis ten Bosch Palace during the NATO Summit 2025 in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24, 2025. President Donald Trump arrives at Huis ten Bosch Palace during the NATO Summit 2025 in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24, 2025. PatrickYossi Alpher, a former official with Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, told Newsweek Wednesday Netanyahu "can dodge the controversy" over disputes about the damaged Iranian sites and that "everyone is used to Trump's hyperbole." Meanwhile Trump and the White House have rejected the CNN report and Newsweek has contacted the White House for further comment. Why It Matters Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian sites at Natanz, Isfahan and the underground facility at Fordow. The president said Saturday's attacks had "completely and totally obliterated" the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. But the sentiment from analysts and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, who helped oversee the operation, was more measured. CNN's report and Trump's rejection of it add to uncertainty about Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities. What To Know The CNN report said early DIA intelligence showed the U.S. strikes did not destroy the core components of Iran's nuclear program and probably only delayed it. Analysis of the damage is ongoing but this assessment is at odds with statements by Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that the program had been "obliterated." Unnamed sources told CNN that centrifuges were mostly intact and enriched uranium vital for making bombs had been shifted from the sites before the strikes, meaning that the operation set Iran's program back "a few months tops." CNN said it was too early for a complete understanding of the effect of the strikes and as yet, it is not clear if the report chimes with other intelligence agencies' assessments. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association (ACA) said in a statement to Newsweek that the U.S. strikes "may temporarily set back Iran's nuclear program" but long-term would be likely to push Tehran to view nuclear weapons as necessary for deterrence. He also said military strikes alone cannot destroy Iran's nuclear knowledge and would strengthen its resolve to reconstitute sensitive nuclear activities, possibly withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and then proceeding to weaponization. Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, told Newsweek that it was hard to see how much damage was done to Iran's nuclear sites although U.S. and Israeli strikes were likely to have set back the Iranian program. However, Iran still has hundreds of scientists who can reconstitute the program, Israeli assassinations aside, she said. U.S. intelligence before the strikes had suggested that Iran was far from having a weaponized nuclear capability and was not racing for a bomb, although whether that calculation changes afterward is hard to say, added Kavanagh. President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside Vice President JD Vance, left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second, right, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, from the White House in Washington, D.C., on June... President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside Vice President JD Vance, left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second, right, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, from the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 21, 2025. MoreThe Response From Trump and the White House The White House has acknowledged the existence of the assessment released by CNN but disagreed with it. Trump posted on the Truth Social platform: "THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED!" and in a follow up post lambasted "fake news CNN." The president also told reporters that "the press is very disrespectful to those great geniuses and patriots that flew those planes." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that reports questioning the effectiveness of the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were an attempt "to demean" Trump, and discredit the mission's pilots. Israel's assessment of the strikes also found less damage on Fordow than expected, according to CNN, which reported that Israeli officials believe the combination of U.S. and Israeli military action set back the Iranian nuclear program by two years. What People Are Saying White House statement: "The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran's nuclear program." President Donald Trump: "FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY. "THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED! BOTH THE TIIMES AND CNN ARE GETTING SLAMMED BY THE PUBLIC!" Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow & director of military analysis, Defense Priorities: "From the point of the Iranian regime, it would be reasonable to think that having a usable nuclear capability is the only safeguard for their security after twice having the rug being pulled out from under them on negotiations." Yossi Alpher, Israeli analyst and ex-Mossad official to Newsweek: "So far the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) takes a cautious position and Bibi [Netanyahu] can dodge the controversy. Besides, everyone is used to Trump's hyperbole." What Happens Next As of Wednesday morning, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that Trump has boasted about brokering was holding as the assessments into the effectiveness of his strikes on Iran continue. Meanwhile, Kimball said it is too soon to say how much damage the combined Israeli and U.S. strikes have caused to Iran's nuclear program and the return of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to Iran was necessary.
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Declares Israel and Iran 'Don't Know What the F--k They're Doing' as They Accuse Each Other of Violating Ceasefire
President Donald Trump criticized both Israel and Iran, saying they "don't know what the f*** they're doing," following mutual accusations between the two nations of breaching a ceasefire he had announced hours earlier via Truth Social. Before boarding Marine One Tuesday morning on his way to the NATO Summit 2025 at the World Forum in The Hague, Trump was asked whether he believed Iran was still committed to peace. "Yeah, I do. They violated it, but Israel violated it too," Trump said in a clip circulating on X. When asked whether he was questioning Israel's commitment to the newly announced ceasefire, the president responded angrily. "Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen," Trump declared. "I'm not happy with Israel," Trump continued, adding that "when I say, 'OK, now you have 12 hours,' you don't go out in the first hour and drop everything you have." "I'm not happy with [Israel]. I'm not happy with Iran either, but I'm really unhappy of Israel's going out this morning because that one rocket that didn't land, that was shot perhaps by mistake, that didn't land. I'm not happy about that," Trump continued before doubling down on his frustration with the warring nations. "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing. Do you understand that?" the president queried before proceeding toward the waiting aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered two airstrikes in Tehran before speaking with Trump, according to Reuters. He reportedly told Trump he would scale back the operation rather than cancel it entirely. Shortly after, Trump took to Truth Social, demanding Israel not to violate the ceasefire. Israel later accused Iran of firing missiles after the ceasefire was announced, however Iran denied these claims, Al Jazeera reported. Israel bombed Iran in a June 13 attack, just two days before Iranian officials were to meet with U.S. officials for the sixth round of nuclear negotiations, prompting retaliatory strikes. Since the strikes began, Israeli attacks have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others in Iran, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Iranian attacks have left at least 24 people dead and more than 1,000 injured, a figure that includes individuals suffering from anxiety related to the attacks. Originally published on Latin Times
