President Trump announced Saturday he will seize Iran’s nuclear material and stockpiles, declaring the U.S. Space Force has been monitoring Tehran’s atomic program around the clock.
Speaking at a campaign rally, Trump said his administration would move to “confiscate” Iran’s nuclear capabilities rather than rely on international inspections or diplomatic frameworks that have failed for decades. He provided no timeline for the operation but said Space Force assets have tracked every Iranian nuclear facility since the military branch expanded its intelligence mission in 2025.
“We know where everything is. Every centrifuge, every gram of enriched uranium, every underground bunker they think we don’t know about,” Trump told supporters. “Space Force sees it all from orbit, and we’re not asking permission anymore.”
The statement marks the clearest signal yet that Trump intends to abandon the remnants of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which even its supporters acknowledge has crumbled as Tehran enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels. International Atomic Energy Agency reports show Iran now holds enough fissile material for multiple nuclear weapons, though intelligence agencies debate how quickly Tehran could assemble a working bomb.
Trump’s approach would represent a dramatic escalation beyond economic sanctions or covert sabotage operations that previous administrations used to slow Iran’s nuclear progress. Military analysts said confiscation would require either Iranian cooperation—highly unlikely—or direct military action to secure nuclear sites scattered across the country, some buried deep underground.
The Space Force reference points to the branch’s growing role in strategic intelligence. Created in Trump’s first term primarily to manage military satellites, Space Force has expanded into real-time surveillance of adversary weapons programs. Officials confirmed the branch operates classified reconnaissance satellites capable of detecting radioactive signatures and monitoring nuclear facility activity.
Iran’s government has not yet responded to Trump’s statement. Tehran has repeatedly insisted its nuclear program serves only peaceful energy purposes, despite enriching uranium far beyond levels needed for civilian reactors.
For American families, the Iran nuclear question connects directly to Middle East stability and gas prices. A nuclear-armed Iran would likely trigger a regional arms race, with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states pursuing their own weapons programs. Military conflict over Iranian facilities could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 21 percent of global petroleum passes daily.
Defense officials would not comment on operational plans, but Trump’s statement suggests his administration sees a narrow window before Iran crosses the threshold to a deliverable nuclear weapon.
Key Points
- Trump announced plans to confiscate Iran’s nuclear material, abandoning diplomacy for direct action against Tehran’s weapons-grade uranium stockpiles
- Space Force has been conducting continuous surveillance of Iranian nuclear facilities using orbital reconnaissance assets
- Iran now holds enough enriched uranium for multiple nuclear weapons, according to international inspectors, with facilities scattered across the country including deep underground bunkers
https://nypost.com/2026/05/10/us-news/trump-vows-to-confiscate-irans-nuclear-material/ – May 10, 2026
