Trump Says His Goal Is to Stop Iran Getting a Nuclear Bomb. But the Result Might Be Lots More Nukes Across the Globe

President Trump has struck Iran's nuclear sites and scientists to prevent the regime from acquiring nuclear weapons, but analysts warn the attacks may accelerate Iran's nuclear ambitions by convincing the regime that only a bomb guarantees survival. The IAEA confirmed in May that Iran had stockpiled 408.6 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium, enough to potentially fuel nine warheads. The consequence extends far beyond Iran: North Korea's Kim Jong Un has already signaled his country will keep its nuclear arsenal, while U.S. allies including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Korea, and Japan are now openly debating acquiring their own nuclear weapons in response to weakened American security guarantees. South Korean public support for indigenous nuclear weapons hit a record 76.2% last year, and a Japanese government adviser suggested Japan should develop nuclear weapons—though Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi walked back those remarks. Experts say the Trump administration's campaign has likely hastened a new era of nuclear proliferation rather than prevented it, undermining decades of U.S. non-proliferation strategy.