Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has claimed, without providing evidence, that President Donald Trump may be days away from ordering a nuclear strike on Iran under pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The claim spread rapidly online on Monday after radio host Alex Jones amplified it.
In a lengthy post on X late Sunday, Carlson wrote that "under pressure from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Trump administration may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran." He named the target as Pickaxe Mountain, an underground complex in central Iran where, he said, Israeli intelligence believes Tehran has resumed uranium enrichment. Carlson argued that conventional weapons cannot destroy the site and that "the only military option is a nuclear strike."
Jones reposted the claim on Monday, writing that his own "research and sources" confirmed Carlson was "100% correct." He also repeated a claim that Pakistan has threatened to use nuclear weapons against Israel if Iran is attacked.
Neither claim has been independently verified, and no news outlet has confirmed any plan to use nuclear weapons. Asked about post-election strike plans, a White House official said the administration does not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist, and that the president keeps all options on the table to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes. Pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer accused Carlson of spreading a hoax.
Trump did name Pickaxe Mountain on Saturday. Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, he said the United States had already destroyed much of Iran's military capabilities and that only "one or two sites" remained, adding that "we can do that in ten minutes." He gave no indication that nuclear weapons were under consideration. Iran denies any nuclear activity at the site.
The Pakistan claim dates back to June 2025, when Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei said on state television that Islamabad had promised to retaliate with nuclear weapons if Israel used them against Iran. Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, dismissed the claim at the time as "fabricated."
Carlson has been a vocal critic of the US war with Iran and has made similar warnings throughout the year. Trump has previously dismissed his commentary, calling him "kooky" in a 2025 social media post.
The claims come as Israel and the United States complete preparations for a possible renewed campaign against Iran after Tuesday's midterm elections, while Iranian negotiators continue talks with Qatari mediators in Doha.
