Trump Says He'll Seize Iran's 970 lb Uranium

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- Trump said at a White House briefing on May 21, 2026 that the United States will seize Iran's highly enriched uranium, does not need it, and plans to destroy it.
- Trump earlier suggested he might be OK with 970 pounds of highly enriched uranium buried beneath Iranian nuclear sites targeted by U.S. strikes last year.
- Sean Hannity reported Trump told him the uranium grab is “more for public relations than it is for anything else.”
- U.S. military strikes last year hit the Iranian nuclear facilities where the 970 pounds of uranium is believed to be buried.
Why it matters: Trump's demand to seize and destroy Iran's highly enriched uranium removes the material from Iran and underscores a hardline stance, while his admission that the move is largely a public‑relations effort shows it also serves his domestic political agenda; this follows his earlier suggestion he might accept the 970‑pound stock.



