Trump: Iran Was Four Weeks Away From Nuclear Weapons Before U.S. Strikes

President reveals timeline assessment in Fox News interview, cites Israeli intelligence on facility damage

President Donald Trump disclosed in a Tuesday interview with Fox News host Mark Levin that U.S. intelligence assessments indicated Iran was approximately four weeks away from acquiring nuclear weapons at the time of American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.

Speaking on Levin’s radio show, Trump stated that Tehran “would have had nuclear weapons in a period of four weeks” without the military intervention. “If we didn’t [strike Iran], they would probably by this time, just about this time, have a nuclear weapon and they would have used it,” the president told listeners.

Targeting Critical Infrastructure

The U.S. military operation targeted three major Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, with Trump announcing the strikes from the White House in June. The president described the extensive damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear program during the Fox News interview.

“The Atomic Energy Commission said, this place is gone. [Iran] can maybe start up, but they’re not starting up there,” Trump said, referring to the targeted facilities. According to Israeli intelligence assessments, the Israel Atomic Energy Commission concluded that the strike on the Fordow nuclear facility “destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure” and rendered it “inoperable,” though reports vary on the full extent of the damage across all targeted sites.

Presidential Claims of Success

During the interview, Trump emphasized what he characterized as successful diplomatic and military achievements. “I’ve settled six wars and we did the Iran night, wiped out their whole nuclear capability, which they would have used against Israel in two seconds if they had the chance,” the president claimed.

The strikes generated significant debate within conservative media circles, with Fox News hosts providing extensive coverage and commentary supporting the military action. Mark Levin praised Trump’s decision as that of a “tremendous leader” in the aftermath of the operations.

Ongoing Regional Tensions

The June strikes came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with Trump having previously indicated uncertainty about authorizing military action against Iranian nuclear sites before ultimately proceeding with the operation.

The president’s latest comments provide new insight into the intelligence assessments and timeline considerations that influenced the administration’s decision to conduct the preemptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

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