Fact Check: Trump Compared U.S. Strikes to Hiroshima and Nagasaki
What We Know
On June 25, 2025, President Donald Trump made remarks comparing recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. He stated, "I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing" (source). This comparison has drawn significant backlash, particularly from Japan, where officials and survivors of the atomic bombings expressed outrage. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki called Trump's comments "deeply regrettable" and stated that they could be interpreted as justifying the use of nuclear weapons (source, source).
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 people, and the traumatic impact of these events continues to affect survivors and their communities today (source). Following Trump's comments, protests were held in Hiroshima, where survivors demanded that he retract his statements (source, source).
Analysis
Trump's comparison has been met with widespread condemnation, particularly from Japanese officials and atomic bomb survivors. Critics argue that equating conventional military strikes with nuclear bombings trivializes the catastrophic impact of the latter. For instance, Mimaki Toshiyuki, a co-chair of the advocacy group Nihon Hidankyo, labeled Trump's remarks as "unacceptable" and expressed disappointment over the implications of justifying nuclear warfare (source).
The reliability of the sources reporting on this incident is high. Major news organizations such as BBC and Reuters have covered the story, providing detailed accounts of the reactions from Japanese officials and survivors (source, source). These outlets are known for their journalistic standards and commitment to factual reporting, which adds credibility to the claims made regarding Trump's statements and the subsequent outrage.
However, it is important to note that Trump's comments were made in the context of defending the effectiveness of U.S. military actions against Iran, suggesting that they had a significant impact on Iran's nuclear program. This context may influence how his remarks are interpreted, but it does not mitigate the historical weight of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings (source).
Conclusion
The claim that Trump compared U.S. strikes to Hiroshima and Nagasaki is True. His remarks, made during a press conference, explicitly draw a parallel between the two events, which has been met with significant criticism from various stakeholders, particularly in Japan. The historical context and the emotional weight of the atomic bombings underscore the inappropriateness of such comparisons, as articulated by numerous officials and survivors.
