Trump says US would strike again if Iran rebuilds nuclear program

The U.S. would strike Iran again if the country attempts to rebuild its nuclear program, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Trump made the statement during an exchange with reporters while attending a NATO summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday. The U.S. has touted a report from Israel stating that the strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities set back the country’s program ‘many years.’

A reporter asked Trump whether he would strike Iran again if it were to rebuild its nuclear facilities.

‘Sure,’ came Trump’s blunt response.

The exchange came after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Trump as a ‘man of strength’ and a ‘man of peace’ during Wednesday’s summit.

‘I just want to recognize your decisive action on Iran,’ Rutte said at the start of his joint remarks with the president. ‘You are a man of strength, but you are also a man of peace. And the fact that you are now also successful in getting this ceasefire done between Israel and Iran — I really want to commend you for that. I think this is important for the whole world.’

Rutte also praised Trump’s effort to get NATO members to pay more and said the president was ‘flying into another big success’ after all countries—except Spain—agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defense. He added that Trump achieved something ‘NO American president in decades could get done.’

Leaders of NATO member states had mixed reactions to the strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, with several calling for de-escalation while acknowledging the threat a nuclear Iran would pose to global security.

Trump cajoled Iran and Israel into a ceasefire on Tuesday that has so far held after an uncertain start that saw Trump unleash his frustration with both countries.

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.