US President Donald Trump has lashed out at a journalist who asked whether he would rule out using a nuclear weapon against Iran, calling the question "stupid".
Trump was taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office this morning when NewsNation White House correspondent Libbey Dean asked whether nuclear weapons were off the table as the conflict between the US and Iran fired back up.
"Well, I would never say that, but the answer is yes," Trump responded.
"I ruled out, I rule out no use, there's no reason for it. What a stupid question that is, actually.
"Here they are, they're totally defeated militarily. So now I defeat them, and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them? What a stupid question."
He then promptly extended the exchange with reporters, saying: "Okay, thank you very much, everybody. Thank you."
Trump's comments came amid a renewed escalation in the country's six-month conflict with Iran.
Iran launched missiles towards US bases in Jordan yesterday in retaliation for US strikes on two Iranian rocket launchers. The Iranian missiles were intercepted before they reached their targets.
The US strikes were the first against Iran since July 30.
Trump had earlier signalled further military action was possible in response to the Iranian strikes, claiming he was going to "hit them very hard".
The President called the reporter a "boisterous person" after facing questions about his decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea. (Source: Reuters)
Latest clash with reporters
Trump's interaction with Dean followed a series of recent clashes with journalists.
Last month, he repeatedly told CNN's Kristen Holmes to "be quiet" during a tense exchange, after she asked him whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had requested a reduction in military activity.
"Quiet, quiet, quiet. You are very disrespectful in front of this young man. Okay?" Trump said.
"Don't you find her disrespectful? He understands. Quiet. Who are you with?"
After Holmes said she was with CNN, Trump called her a "fake reporter" and a "loud, boisterous person".
In Novemeber 2025, Trump called Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey "piggy" during a press event aboard Air Force One, after she attempted to question him about the release of the Jeffery Epstein files.
Most recently, Trump attacked NBC News' Kristen Walker after she described his political endorsements as "mixed", saying he would report her to the Federal Communications Commission for "punishment".
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