NPR News: 04-23-2026 6PM EDT

President Trump has ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran while emphasizing a deliberate approach to negotiations aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear arms. The Justice Department announced rescheduling marijuana to a lower-risk category, acknowledging its medical potential without federal legalization. Wildfires and drought intensified in parts of the US, alongside a Wall Street downturn and shareholder approval of a massive media merger.

Trump De-escalates Iran Rhetoric Amid Ongoing Talks

Trump explicitly rejected nuclear options in the conflict with Iran, stating, "Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we've totally in a very conventional way decimated them without it? No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody." This follows his earlier social media threat earlier this month: "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." He stressed no rush to a peace deal, saying, "I don't want to rush it. I want to take my time. We have plenty of time," with preventing Iranian nuclear weapons as his top priority.