Trump defends letting Iran maintain missile arsenal

President Trump on Wednesday defended letting Iran maintain its large arsenal of ballistic missiles when discussing the emerging deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The president said during a Group of Seven (G7) press conference in France that the U.S. will be working with Persian Gulf allies in addressing issues not related to Iran’s nuclear program, including the conventional missile program, but noted that Tehran will still have some ballistic missiles left. 

“I mean, they have to have some, because other people have some. You got to have some,” Trump said. 

“I like some of these guys, but I…don’t think they’re smart. Sir. You shouldn’t let them have any missile,” the president said of unnamed advisors. “I said, well, what am I going to do? Am I going to let Saudi Arabia have missiles, but they can’t have them? Yes, sir.”  

“Doesn’t work that way, you know, it doesn’t work that way, and missiles aren’t the problem,” he said. “Missiles,........

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