US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed media reports suggesting his administration had discussed potentially assisting Iran with as much as $30 billion to develop a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program.
CNN reported on Thursday and NBC News on Friday that the Trump administration had recently explored possible economic incentives for Iran in exchange for its government halting uranium enrichment. The reports cited unnamed sources.
“Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that ‘President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.’ Never heard of this ridiculous idea,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late Friday, calling the reports a “HOAX.” CNN cited officials as saying that several proposals were preliminary and had been floated.
Since April, Iran and the US have engaged in indirect talks aimed at finding a new diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran maintains its program is peaceful, while Washington states its goal is to ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
Earlier this week, Trump announced a ceasefire between U.S. ally Israel and its regional rival Iran, halting a conflict that began on June 13 with an Israeli attack on Iran. The Israel-Iran conflict had heightened tensions in a region already on edge since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023.
Before Trump’s ceasefire announcement, the US had struck Iran’s nuclear sites last weekend, and Iran retaliated by targeting a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday.
Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country possessing nuclear weapons and has stated its war against Iran aims to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear capabilities. Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, unlike Israel. The U.N. nuclear watchdog, which conducts inspections in Iran, has stated it has “no credible indication” of an active, coordinated weapons program in Iran.
