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Officials stoked fears of a nuke that could fry the grid

The New York Times traces how conservative activists and top officials pushed a decade-old warning about a single atomic blast and the power grid, feeding momentum toward war with Iran.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN This Morning
Published 6:14 AM ET, Wednesday, October 14, 2026

At a glance

First reported by The New York Times: “How Top Trump Officials Stoked Fears of a Nuke That Could Fry the Power Grid”.
Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 6:14 AM ET on BBN This Morning, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Trump.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The New York TimesHow Top Trump Officials Stoked Fears of a Nuke That Could Fry the Power Grid

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe New York Times reports that for more than a decade, conservative activists argued a single atomic bomb could wreck the country without killing Americans directly, and that claim built fervor for war with Iran.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the idea is one blast knocks out the power grid. What does that actually look like in a house?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentNo lights, no phones charging, no running water in some places.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe science of how far that reaches is argued over, and the Times tracks how top officials kept repeating the warning.