Fact Check: Trump Compares Iran Strikes to Hiroshima, Claiming They Ended the War
What We Know
On June 25, 2025, President Donald Trump made a controversial statement comparing the U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. He claimed that the airstrikes "ended the war" between Israel and Iran, drawing a parallel to the impact of the atomic bombings, which led to Japan's surrender and the conclusion of World War II (HuffPost, Times Now News). Trump expressed frustration over reports suggesting that the airstrikes had only temporarily delayed Iran's nuclear capabilities, asserting that the damage was much more severe than intelligence assessments indicated (Reuters, Middle East Eye).
Analysis
Trump's statement has sparked debate regarding its accuracy and implications. The comparison to Hiroshima is particularly contentious, as the atomic bombings resulted in approximately 200,000 deaths and were the only instances of nuclear weapons used in warfare (HuffPost). In contrast, the airstrikes on Iran involved conventional munitions, specifically 14 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs, and were reported to have only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months according to U.S. intelligence (Reuters, Times Now News).
The reliability of the sources reporting on Trump's claims varies. The HuffPost and Reuters articles provide direct quotes from Trump and context about the airstrikes, making them credible sources for understanding his statements. However, the comparison itself is criticized for downplaying the catastrophic human impact of nuclear warfare, which is fundamentally different from conventional military actions.
Moreover, Trump's assertion that the airstrikes "ended the war" is misleading. While a ceasefire was reported following the strikes, attributing the end of hostilities solely to the airstrikes oversimplifies the complex geopolitical dynamics at play (Middle East Eye).
Conclusion
The claim that Trump compared the Iran strikes to Hiroshima and stated they "ended the war" is True. He explicitly made this comparison during a press conference, and his comments were widely reported across multiple credible news outlets. However, the context and implications of his statement raise significant questions about the accuracy and appropriateness of such a comparison, particularly given the historical consequences of the bombings in Japan versus the recent military actions in Iran.
Sources
- Comparing US Iran strike to Hiroshima, Trump plays down intelligence ...
- US strikes failed to destroy Iran's nuclear sites, intelligence ...
- Trump Compares Iran Airstrikes To Hiroshima Bombing: 'That Hit Ended ...
- Donald Trump Compares US Strikes on Iran to Bombings of Hiroshima ...
- 'It ended the war': Trump likens Iran strikes to Hiroshima ...
