By Gloria Ogbonna
During a Thursday appearance on Fox News Channel’s Hannity, President Donald Trump offered a candid assessment of the debate over retrieving Iran’s enriched uranium, suggesting that while he would prefer to secure it, the necessity of doing so is driven more by optics than by strategic urgency.
Speaking with host Sean Hannity on Hannity, Trump indicated that a mission to recover the material would not be simple. He noted that such an operation could take “a week and a half,” calling that “a long time to be in enemy territory.”
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Despite the potential logistical and security challenges, Trump downplayed the strategic importance of retrieving the uranium. “I don’t think it’s necessary, except from a public relations standpoint,” he said. According to the president, much of the pressure to obtain the material stems from media scrutiny and public perception rather than immediate military or nuclear concerns.
“I think it’s important for the fake news that we get it,” Trump remarked. “I’m the one that said we’re going to get it, and we’re going to get it. We have our eye on it.”
Hannity asked whether the uranium could simply be entombed — sealed and rendered inaccessible — rather than physically removed. Trump acknowledged that entombment was an option. “It can be,” he said, adding that several approaches could be taken to ensure the material no longer poses a threat.
However, Trump emphasized that while alternatives exist, his preference would still be to retrieve it outright. “I’d rather get it, to be honest with you,” he stated. “A lot of things can happen.”
The president also argued that Iran’s nuclear capabilities have already been significantly degraded. He claimed that if the United States were to disengage immediately, it would take Iran decades to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure to previous levels. “If we left right now, it would take Iran 25 years to rebuild, and it can never be like it was,” Trump said. “It would take 25 years.”
Even so, Trump reiterated that having physical control of the uranium would provide added reassurance. He suggested that U.S. officials are closely monitoring the situation and are fully aware of developments on the ground. “We have our eyes on it. We know exactly what’s happening there,” he said.
Trump further claimed that Iran has been warned against attempting to move or recover the enriched material, indicating that the United States would respond forcefully if such efforts were made. He suggested that additional military action, including renewed bombing, remains an option if necessary. “The other thing we could do is bomb it again, just make it absolute,” he said.
Ultimately, Trump framed the issue as one of confidence and optics. While he maintained that retrieving the uranium may not be strictly essential from a strategic standpoint, he made clear that securing it would provide both political clarity and personal assurance.
“I’d still rather have it,” Trump concluded. “I’d just feel better if I got it, actually. But I think it’s more for public relations than it is for anything else. And we will get it.”
Source: Breitbart
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