Can Iran Be Trusted? Trump’s Skepticism Colors the Nuclear Talks

President Trump’s State of the Union Address was filled with skepticism about Iranian intentions — skepticism that appears to be shaping the US approach to the current nuclear negotiations in important ways. Even as Trump confirmed active talks are underway, his remarks suggested deep doubts about whether Iran will honor any commitments it makes.
Trump pointed to Iran’s decision to restart its nuclear program following last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes as a key reason for that skepticism. He said the US had warned Iran not to rebuild after the strikes, and that Tehran’s decision to do so anyway suggests a lack of seriousness about diplomatic commitments.
This skepticism, Trump said, is why Washington requires a categorical, public declaration from Iran that it will never build a nuclear weapon. A private assurance or a vague commitment is not enough — the declaration must be explicit, public, and unconditional. Without it, Trump suggested, any deal would lack the credibility needed to be meaningful.
The President also cited Iran’s broader record — its support for terrorism, its human rights abuses, its missile development — as reasons for caution. He said a regime with this track record cannot be trusted on the basis of goodwill alone, and that any agreement must be built on verifiable commitments.
Despite the skepticism, Trump said he is still pursuing diplomacy and that a deal is possible. He just wants to make sure that if one is reached, it actually holds. That means getting the foundational commitment right, even if it takes more negotiations to get there.