Washington DC, March 17
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he does not believe Israel would use a nuclear weapon in its war with Iran, CNN reported.
"Israel wouldn't do that. Israel would never do that," Trump told reporters at the White House, as per CNN.
According to CNN, his remarks came after the White House artificial intelligence and crypto czar, David Sacks recently suggested in an interview that there were concerns about possible escalation.
"You have to worry about Israel escalating the war by contemplating using a nuclear weapon," Sacks said.
Trump's comments also follow remarks he made a day earlier about the alignment between US and Israeli military objectives, CNN reported.
"The relationship has been very good. The militaries are very well coordinated," Trump told reporters on Sunday aboard Air Force One, while noting that the two countries' goals in the conflict may not be exactly the same, as reported by CNN.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said on Monday that a former US president recently told him he wished he had taken action against Iran while he was in office, though Trump declined to reveal the identity of the leader, CNN reported.
"I've spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually, a past president, former president. He said, 'I wish I did it. I wish I did.' But they didn't do it. I'm doing it," Trump told reporters at the White House Monday, according to CNN.
According to CNN, four former US presidents are living -- Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
CNN further reported that Trump declined to name the former president, saying he did not want to cause embarrassment.
"I don't want to embarrass him. Would be very bad for his career, even though he's got no career," Trump said.
According to CNN, Trump has defended his administration's military actions against Iran, even as the move has puzzled some of the GOP's "America First" wing and contributed to rising gas prices.
CNN reported that Trump has argued the actions are justified, stating that Iran has been creating problems for the United States for nearly half a century.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said he agreed with Donald Trump that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons and that the recent military action was carried out under the president's leadership.
"I agree with the President that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. We took this military action under the President's leadership. All of us - whether a democrat or republican - should pray for the success and safety of our troops," he said.
- ANI
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