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US Energy Secretary Confirms Department Ready to Remove Iranian Nuclear Material

Ben Shapiro Show · Ep. 2423 - 5 Reasons Why Trump Holds All The Cards On China · May 11, 2026
US Energy Secretary Confirms Department Ready to Remove Iranian Nuclear Material
Ben Shapiro Show
Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2423 - 5 Reasons Why Trump Holds All The Cards On China
"The nuclear expertise in the United States is within my department. They are ready. They've been monitoring what's happening in Iran, and they've been involved in the dialogues about how would we handle this material, where would we take it, what would we do with it. Iran has nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60%. There's many ways that that can be achieved, but that must be achieved."
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on Face the Nation that the Department of Energy has personnel ready and actively planning how to physically remove nearly 1,000 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from Iran and dismantle enrichment sites. This marks the first time a senior Trump official has publicly confirmed operational readiness for direct action on Iranian nuclear material.

About this episode

Ben Shapiro argued that President Trump is entering this week's China summit from a position of strength, not weakness, systematically dismantling narratives that Beijing holds leverage over Washington. Shapiro opened by detailing five structural crises plaguing China: catastrophic demographics with a collapsing birth rate, systemic lack of innovation reliant on IP theft, hidden debt exceeding 300 percent of GDP, a technologically inferior military, and autocratic governance that stifles growth. He contrasted China's $15,000 per capita GDP with America's $95,000, emphasizing that China's economy is not remotely competitive despite media portrayals. A major revelation came when Shapiro disclosed that 10 to 15 percent of China's oil imports from Iran have been cut to zero under Trump's Iran policy, crippling a key Chinese energy source. He also reported that UAE's break from OPEC and the neutralization of Venezuela as a Chinese oil intermediary have further isolated Beijing. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced in a 60 Minutes interview that he proposed eliminating Israel's $3.8 billion annual U.S. military aid over the next decade, contradicting claims that Israel seeks increased American taxpayer support. Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling told Shapiro the federal government is now its smallest since 1966, saving $40 billion annually, while private sector jobs in construction and manufacturing surge. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed on Face the Nation that the Department of Energy has personnel ready to remove nearly 1,000 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from Iran. Shapiro also covered the failed Trump-brokered Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, which collapsed immediately with Russia launching 7,000 kamikaze drones on day one. The episode included sharp cultural commentary on a Kevin Hart roast featuring shockingly crude jokes and debunked rumors that Elliot Page would play Achilles in Christopher Nolan's Odyssey film. Shapiro closed by attacking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson for distorting the principles of America's founding, framing the left's revisionism as an attempt to delegitimize the nation ahead of America's 250th anniversary.

Key takeaways

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