At the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump urged countries to isolate Iran economically, while suggesting Washington and Tehran could reach an agreement after the November midterm elections, as he also addressed the Russia-Ukraine war and the future of artificial intelligence.
President Donald Trump called for the “complete economic isolation” of Iran during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, while saying he expects Washington and Tehran to reach a deal after the November midterm elections.
“I call on all nations to help to enforce the complete economic isolation of Iran,” Trump said.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to. They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election.”
In his speech, Trump reiterated his position that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and outlined how the U.S. military has targeted Iran’s navy, missile capabilities and nuclear development.
“But now I have a big decision to make: Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?” Trump asked.
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”
Trump also rejected concerns that the United States is running low on advanced weapons as a result of the war with Iran.
“We have more munitions than we could ever possibly even think of using, and we’re building them at levels that we have never done before,” he said.
Trump Vows to End Russia-Ukraine War
Trump also addressed the war between Russia and Ukraine, saying his administration is working with both countries and that the conflict will end.
“We’re working very closely with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, and we will get that one done,” Trump said. “It’s going to happen, I think, more quickly than people understand.”
The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, remains unresolved. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration over the continued fighting and has sought to broker an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump Calls Artificial Intelligence ‘Super Intelligence’
Trump also turned to technology, saying he plans to replace the term “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence” in U.S. government documents.
Trump argued that the word “artificial” makes intelligence sound “fake,” while describing the technology as “amazing.” He referred to the new terminology in the context of his administration’s broader focus on AI and U.S. technological development.
AI is also expected to feature prominently in Trump’s meetings with foreign leaders this week, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whose visit to Washington is scheduled for later this week. The United States and China are competing over AI development while also negotiating over trade and other strategic issues.
