Eleven minutes into his speech, Trump posed a stark choice: a diplomatic settlement that would let Iran “rebuild” or a rapid military action that would leave the country with “no chance of survival.” The president’s language echoed earlier threats to send Iran “to the stone age,” but this was the first time such an explicit call for annihilation was voiced on the UN podium.
Trump’s remarks came as the United States entered its third month of a war launched in February, after Tehran’s resistance proved stronger than Washington had anticipated. The president also claimed the theocratic regime had been in power for 51 years, a figure that contradicts the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which actually occurred 47 years ago.
The speech also featured inflated casualty figures. Trump said “over 72,000” Iranians had been killed in protests earlier in the year, a number that has not been verified and is higher than previous estimates, including those he himself has cited.
Beyond Iran, Trump singled out Cuba, declaring the island a “failed state” that would “fall,” and cited U.S. actions in Venezuela – where special forces seized President Nicolás Maduro in January – as proof that the United States would use “unmatched military might” to protect its interests in the Western Hemisphere.
He also attacked the International Criminal Court, calling it an “out‑of‑control institution” and vowing that no U.S. service members would be subject to its jurisdiction. In contrast, he offered praise to NATO’s secretary‑general and to Denmark, calling the latter “an incredible, beautiful country” after a recent agreement over Greenland.
The president concluded with a controversial proposal to rename artificial intelligence “super intelligence,” arguing that the term “artificial” makes it sound “fake.” He framed the change as part of a broader effort to counter what he described as a “globalist scheme” behind calls to slow AI development.
Trump’s rhetoric sparked concern among diplomats and observers, who warned that such bellicose language at the UN could undermine diplomatic efforts and heighten tensions with Tehran and other adversaries.