{"id":2615245,"date":"2026-06-17T14:20:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-leaves-door-open-to-iran-keeping-ballistic-weapons\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T14:21:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:21:51","slug":"trump-leaves-door-open-to-iran-keeping-ballistic-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-leaves-door-open-to-iran-keeping-ballistic-weapons\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump leaves door open to Iran keeping ballistic weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-leaves-door-open-to-iran-keeping-ballistic-weapons%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2615245&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump expressed openness to Iran maintaining its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/putin-cant-be-appeased\/\" title=\"Putin Can\u2019t Be Appeased\">ballistic missile systems<\/a> amid the U.S. moving to wind down its regional engagement. Initially, the Trump governance aimed to eliminate Iran\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blackburn-introduces-amendments-to-counter-china-and-iran\/\" title=\"Blackburn Introduces Amendments to Counter China and ...\">missile capabilities<\/a> as a core goal of their policy, but Trump indicated a shift in stance during a G7 summit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gov-whitmer-media-caught-in-another-lie-anarchist-arrested-for-plot-to-kidnap-and-kill-whitmer-hates-president-trump-trump-is-a-tyrant-video\/\" title=\"Gov. Whitmer, Media Caught in Another Lie - Anarchist Arrested For Plot to Kidnap and Kill Whitmer Hates ... ..., &#039;... is a Tyrant&#039; (VIDEO)\">press conference<\/a>, suggesting that Iran might retain some missiles. He noted that other Gulf nations might address non-nuclear issues separately adn implied that Iran\u2019s missile capacity is less of a threat than perceived, emphasizing that missiles are not the main problem because they cause limited damage and are difficult to rebuild after strikes. Trump also questioned the practicality of denying Iran missile capabilities, comparing it to other nations like Saudi Arabia, and highlighted the extensive damage already inflicted on Iran\u2019s missile stockpiles. His remarks raised doubts about an upcoming Iran deal, indicating uncertainty about future negotiations. The full comments were available in a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >recorded press conference video<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> on Wednesday appeared open to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"100\">Iran<\/a> maintaining its ballistic missile systems as the United States moves to wind down its war in the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier in the spring, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"339\">Trump administration<\/a> had specifically listed destroying Iran\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-us-deploying-thousands-of-additional-troops-and-several-ships-to-middle-east\/\" title=\"Report: US Deploying Thousands of Additional Troops and Several Ships to Middle East\">ballistic missile capacity<\/a> as one of the core objectives of the war, but Trump seemed to have moved away from that position during a press conference at the G7 summit.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4612310\/vance-defends-trump-iran-strategy-deal-leverage\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Vance defends Trump\u2019s Iran strategy: \u2018People confuse the ends with the means\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4612300\/progressive-atheistic-culture-christianity-vance-memoir\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Progressive atheistic culture\u2019 is incompatible with Christianity: Vance<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4612446\/trump-iran-deal-friday-doubt\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump casts doubt on landing Iran deal Friday: \u2018You never know\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The president said that, over the next 60 days, the other Persian Gulf nations would hash out \u201cnon-nuclear\u201d issues on the sidelines of the U.S.\u2019s own negotiations with Iran, suggesting that \u201cbecause other people have some,\u201d Iran might keep some ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSomebody said, \u2018You shouldn\u2019t give them one,\u2019 and I have guys \u2014 I like some of these guys, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019re smart. \u2018Sir, you shouldn\u2019t let them have any missiles.\u2019 I said, \u2018Well, what am I going to do? Am I going to let Saudi Arabia have missiles, but [Iran] can\u2019t have them?&#8217;\u201d Trump continued. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t work that way, you know. It doesn\u2019t work that way. And missiles aren\u2019t the problem. Missiles, they hurt a little location, but they don\u2019t blow up the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later in his press conference, Trump was pressed to explain why his position on the issue had shifted and why the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4610204\/iran-trump-benjamin-netanyahu-g7\/\">memorandum of understanding<\/a> itself does not say anything about Iran\u2019s missile capabilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4612446\/trump-iran-deal-friday-doubt\/\"><strong>TRUMP CASTS DOUBT ON LANDING IRAN DEAL FRIDAY: \u2018YOU NEVER KNOW\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey have less than other nations now. We knocked out probably 84, 85% of their missiles. The rest of them are underground; they can\u2019t even get them out,\u201d the president countered. \u201cBut what are you going to do? Let\u2019s spend another two weeks and give them none? They don\u2019t want to be firing missiles right now. They\u2019re going to have a hard time rebuilding. They\u2019re going to have a hard time rebuilding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch Trump\u2019s comments in full:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"90D179dxdCM\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"President Trump Holds a Press Conference, Jun. 17, 2026\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/90D179dxdCM?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump open to Iran missile retention as US winds down war<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2645,"featured_media":2615247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26168579609739_341f57.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[81334,3817,50462,3823,3634],"class_list":["post-2615245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-ballistic-weapons","tag-diplomacy","tag-foreign-policy-2","tag-iran","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26168579609739_341f57.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2645"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2615245"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2615250,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615245\/revisions\/2615250"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2615247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2615245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2615245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2615245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}