Former MSNBC host Joy Reid sparked controversy Tuesday with remarks suggesting that a nuclear-armed Iran might bring stability to the Middle East. Speaking on The Breakfast Club radio program, Reid framed the U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran as less about imminent threats and more about maintaining geopolitical dominance in the region.
Her comments came in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recent authorization of airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, which he described as a “very successful attack.” Reid criticized the rationale behind the strikes, questioning both the urgency and legitimacy of the perceived threat.
“The reason you won’t see nuclear war in our lifetime is that everyone who would deem to threaten global annihilation has nukes — mutually assured destruction,” Reid said. Drawing a controversial comparison, she added, “You know how they say the most polite society in the country is Texas because everybody’s packing? Maybe the Middle East would be calmer if there weren’t just one or two nuclear powers.”
Reid cited a conversation with a Navy veteran, claiming he told her Iran had no active nuclear weapons program. “They don’t have nukes and they weren’t making nukes,” she said, framing the U.S. airstrikes as a geopolitical maneuver rather than a response to a real nuclear threat.
She linked the situation to past U.S. actions in Iran, specifically the 1953 CIA-backed overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, suggesting a continuity in American policy focused on securing oil interests and maintaining regional influence.
Reid further alleged that Israel’s motivation in striking Iran was less about security and more about consolidating power. “Israel wants to be the hegemon of the region,” she said. “Their biggest two potential competitors are Saudi Arabia and Iran. This is about making them the unquestioned superpower in the region.”
She also questioned the longstanding warnings about Iran’s nuclear timeline. “Apparently their two-week nuclear window has been lasting since 1996,” Reid said, casting doubt on repeated intelligence claims about Iran’s proximity to developing a bomb.
Reid’s remarks align with a broader critique of U.S. and Israeli foreign policy from parts of the American left, but they arrive at a particularly volatile time. Trump’s administration has faced criticism for escalating tensions without congressional authorization, while regional powers assess the fallout from the strikes.
The interview quickly circulated online, drawing sharp responses from national security analysts, foreign policy commentators, and political figures. Critics argue that Reid’s framing minimizes the risks posed by a nuclear-armed Iran and fails to account for Tehran’s support of proxy groups across the region.