White House says not considering nuclear weapons against Iran after Vance’s ‘got toolkit’ remarks
The vice president said that there’ll be more strikes on Tehran if the Iranians “don’t change their course of conduct,” however, he added that he was “hopeful” negotiations would avoid any more deployment of “tools”.
US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday warned Iran that Washington has so far not used “tools which are there in our toolkit” and that President Donald Trump’s administration can decide to use them if the Islamic Republic doesn’t agree to a ceasefire proposal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the White House called out against the claims made on social media which said that Vance was allegedly referring “US using nuclear weapons in Iran.” “Literally nothing Vice President Vance said here “implies” this, you absolute buffoons,” the White House said in a post on X.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2026
The vice president said that there’ll be more strikes on Tehran if the Iranians “don’t change their course of conduct,” however, he added that he was “hopeful” negotiations would avoid any more deployment of “tools”.
“I hope they make the right response,” says @VP on Iran.
“They’ve got to know, we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use. @POTUS can decide to use them, and he will decide to use them if the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct.” pic.twitter.com/UUiQ5SdEO5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2026
During his visit to Hungary, Vance said that “The United States has largely accomplished its military objectives,” and added that there’ll be a “lot of negotiations between now and then” when the US deadline for Iran to finalise a deal and accept US’ proposal ends at 5:30am Wednesday.
“So, they’ve got to know: we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use. The President of the United States can decide to use them, and he will decide to use them if the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct,” Vance said at a joint press briefing with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest.
Vance did not elaborate the “tools” he talked about which the Washington has not used in its military operation against Tehran till now.
“What we really want is a world where oil and gas is flowing freely, where people can afford to heat their homes and cool their homes, where people can afford to transport themselves to work,” Vance said.
Trump’s deadline looms
Soon after US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure if the Islamic Republic doesn’t agree to a ceasefire and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran officials on Tuesday urged young people to form human chains to protect power plants.
Trump on Tuesday warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran doesn’t meet his deadline to agree to a US-backed proposal and halt the conflict in West Asia, which has been ongoing from last 39 days.
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The US president has extended previous deadlines several times but suggested that the one set for Tuesday is final, leaving Iranians on edge
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