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The White House has pushed back against claims that Trump is considering the use of nuclear weapons against Iran.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you missed it, Trump made a statement on his Truth Social platform warning that Iran faced a dire future if it failed to meet his 8PM deadline for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!” Trump’s statement came just hours before his deadline for Iran to make a deal to reopen the strait and reach a ceasefire, with Trump previously warning that if they failed to make a deal , then key infrastructure, including bridges, power plants, and other sectors , would be taken out and would result in Iran going back to “the stone ages.”

What’s going on now: In a notable development, the White House is pushing back on suggestions that Trump is preparing to use nuclear weapons, rejecting claims circulating online and among some influencers and political opponents. The administration specifically responded to interpretations of remarks made by Vice President Vance, who said the US has “tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use,” and clarified that nothing in his comments implied nuclear escalation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that Iran has until the president’s deadline to act, adding that “only the President knows where things stand and what he will do.”

At the same time, Vance’s remarks have continued to fuel concern, with critics arguing that the ambiguity leaves open the possibility of more extreme military options. Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro called on Trump to clearly state that nuclear weapons are not under consideration, warning that the rhetoric risks escalating an already volatile situation.

Iran, for its part, has responded defiantly, with officials warning that any attack on civilian infrastructure would be met with immediate retaliation. Iranian military leadership has signaled it would target US and allied assets across the region, potentially disrupting global energy supplies and widening the conflict beyond the Middle East.

International reaction has also grown, including from Pope Leo, who condemned the threats. In a statement, he said, “Today as we all know there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable,” adding that attacks on civilian infrastructure are “against international law” and warning that such actions reflect “the hatred, the division, the destruction human beings are capable of.”

He urged global leaders and citizens alike to reject escalation and pursue peace, as fears mount over what could come next.