Carlson warns Trump could order nuclear strike on Iran within days

Tucker Carlson said on Sunday that the Trump administration could authorize a nuclear strike on Iran within days, alleging that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing President Donald Trump to attack a suspected enrichment facility buried deep beneath Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran. The conservative commentator, who now hosts an independent program on the social media platform X, claimed conventional US weapons cannot penetrate the estimated 300 feet of solid granite protecting the underground tunnels, leaving a nuclear option as the only viable military path.

Netanyahu accused of daily pressure on Trump

Carlson quoted an unnamed informed observer as saying, "Bibi (Netanyahu) calls Trump about it every day," adding that the Israeli leader needs American military intervention to secure a 61-seat Knesset majority following recent elections or risk losing power and facing imprisonment. He claimed Netanyahu has pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper to resume combat operations, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe allegedly follow the Israeli leader's policy direction.

Analyst warns of global nuclear proliferation risks

The commentator warned that eight months of conflict have severely affected Gulf economies and global energy markets, with 11 oil supertankers damaged in the Strait of Hormuz in October alone, while a nuclear explosion at Pickaxe Mountain could contaminate Gulf waters threatening 100 million people's water supply. "After the first nuclear strike, World War Three is inevitable. That war would be short and final," Carlson wrote regarding the precedent a US strike could set for Russia, India-Pakistan tensions, and North Korea, adding that "Now would be the time for them to speak up" before such decisions are finalized.

Trump administration weighs military and diplomatic paths

Carlson said Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff are urging Trump to pursue diplomacy instead, with a decision possible by Nov. 7, while Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday that the US could strike remaining targets "within 10 minutes," stating, "You probably could look at Pickaxe Mountain, you have to take care of that. We can do that all very quickly." Iran denies any nuclear activity at the site, though Axios reported that Trump and Netanyahu held a tense phone call on Saturday with the Israeli leader pushing for action after Tuesday's US midterm elections and Trump preferring continued negotiations, according to Israeli and US sources.