‘Deal Or Drive Them Into Hell’: Trump Issues Stark Iran Ultimatum In UN Speech

Trump on Iran, Oil & Midterm Elections

Standing before the United Nations General Assembly, President Trump told the world: “While others have talked, I have acted. While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace.“The focus quickly turned to the Islamic Republic of Iran, which Trump charged as responsible for spreading “death and carnage and chaos.” He claimed: “They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more.”

In listing out what have become the admin’s typical talking points, Trump issued an even bigger than before number of Iranian citizens he claims were recently killed by their own government, stating without evidence that over 72,000 Iranian citizens had been slaughtered. This number just keeps on and keeps on growing.

Addressing the war itself, Trump hailed that Iran’s navy ships now lie “at the bottom of the sea,” and their economy is completely gone, and with many capabilities like radar utterly non-existent. Yet, the nuclear threat is still front and center. Reaffirming his red line to “never allow a nuclear weapon,” Trump turned to boasting of how his Operation Epic Fury “obliterated their nuclear program beneath mountains of rubble.” But again he still holds Iran out as an atomic threat.

One of the more interesting lines came when Trump said Tehran had built a missile capable of hitting Europe, and that the Iranians openly boasted of this. He called on Europeans (who have so far rejected the urging to join a Hormuz military mission) to take note of this. “I have a big decision to make… will a deal be made with Iran, or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and ‘do it quickly’? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival?“

President Trump says Iran deal will be made after the midterm elections, and says he has decision between a deal with Iran or destroying them: “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” pic.twitter.com/Y5K6v4B326

— CSPAN (@cspan) September 22, 2026

He talked about potentially annihilating them, and this key line:

“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” Trump said. “They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election.”

Trump in this Iran section of the speech made some provocative remarks on the US midterm elections. He indirectly invoked the dilemma of high oil prices and how the GOP might do. “I give no credence to the election; I am not running… it doesn’t even enter my mind.” Instead, a global ultimatum was issued: a call on all nations to join the United States in enforcing the total isolation of Iran, driven by the absolute promise that “It’s gonna be done, it’s gonna be done fast” – in reference to this decision of achieving either peace or Iran’s final destruction.

👀Iranian delegation began to walk out as Trump started the Iran portion of his speech, saying that he has a choice to make about whether to annihilate the country or make a deal with them.

One lower level staff member remains. pic.twitter.com/iFtL9ntfkv

— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) September 22, 2026

The address then got broader, outlining Trump’s foreign policy ‘successes’ driven by leverage, special relationships, and the persistent threat of tariffs. Pointing to Venezuela, his narrative emphasized how combining Venezuelan and US resources – accounting for “60% of the world’s oil” – would help drive down energy prices worldwide.

He openly boasted after the US military invasion of Venezuela and overthrow of Maduro, “To the victor belong the spoils.”

Trump on Venezuela:

When you add the United States and Venezuela together, we have more than 60 percent of the oil in the world. So, it’s perhaps the biggest deal.

It was a war, but it’s perhaps the biggest deal ever made.

To the victor belong the spoils. You’ve all heard… pic.twitter.com/Hrqu9knMtO

— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 22, 2026

Trump on Ending Ukraine War, Greenland Security Deal, & AI

On Ukraine War:

Trump claimed ending the war between Russia and Ukraine will happen “faster than people understand.” He said Washington is working closely with both leaders, asserting both countries are exhausted by the conflict.

On Greenland:

“No US. adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland anymore or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval. We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations. We’ll be building two very major military bases.”

On AI:

Calling it “super intelligence”, Trump said the US rejects a “globalist scheme” to control AI.

“The use of the word artificial makes intelligence sound fake, and it is not fake,” Trump explained. “It’s actually amazing.” And then: “All of US documents will be changed to use the much more accurate term ‘super’, instead of ‘artificial’,” he said. “Welcome to the new world of super intelligence slash SI.”

Trump said the US would encourage rather than rein in the technology. “The United States leads the world in super intelligence, and we’ll continue to do so safely and responsibly,” he said. “Americans have never been a nation that retreats from a frontier or shrinks from a challenge, no matter how great or how daunting that challenge may be,” he added.

And within less than an hour after Trump walked off the UN stage: Trump signs the security agreement with Denmark and Greenland.

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President Donald Trump is set to deliver a highly anticipated speech to the United Nations General Assembly today, set for 9:55 Eastern Time, or around 10am – though things are already running late. He’s expected to address the Iran war and the “importance of ensuring that Iran never has a nuclear weapon” – according to UN Ambassador Mike Waltz, along with a other foreign policy issues like his 20-point peace plan in Gaza, as well as recent US actions closer to home in the Western Hemisphere.

Watch:

High on everyone’s mind is whether the US will engage in direct diplomacy with the Iranians on the UNGA sidelines.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the White House remains open to this.

“We’re open to that. I don’t think anything is scheduled at this point, but we’re certainly open to something like that, especially if it has the prospects of leading to something positive and ultimately achieving the goal of what this is all about,” Rubio told NBC’s :Today” show Tuesday morning.

“And that is the fact that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They just simply can’t.”

A senior White House official has further previewed of Trump’s speech: “He’ll include many of the issues, frankly neglected by past administrations, that he’s not going to kick the can on.” From there and intense, meeting-packed day will ensue, starting with:

Following his speech, Trump will join a signing ceremony with the leaders of Greenland and Denmark on an agreement that the president touted as giving the U.S. “total control” over the Arctic island’s security. Greenland and Denmark, which owns the self-governed island, framed the agreement as strengthening security and said they will need to have their parliaments ratify the terms before it goes into effect.

According to White House and UN previews of Trump’s busy schedule, a series of bilateral meetings will ensue:

• First bilateral meeting: Face-to-face meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

• Second bilateral meeting: A “fulsome” meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

• Third meeting: A discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

• Special event: Participation in the “Shield of the Americas” event with Latin American leaders.

More on anticipated Trump talking points:

BREAKING: President Trump’s UN speech to make the case for how he uses America’s power to confront Iran, cartel violence and other threats, reshaping the world to help the US, White House official tells Fox News’ @WardDPatrick pic.twitter.com/oCn655rK83

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 22, 2026

Another key meeting to be held on the sidelines will be crucial direct engagement with officials from Washington’s Gulf allies, at a moment of deep wartime uncertainty lingering over the whole region. Trump has warned he could starting hitting Iran again, or else strike a deal “at any time”.

Investors will be keeping an eye on US President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, as well as his meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later in the week. Beijing is expected to offer additional rare earth export licenses as a bargaining chip at the summit, Bloomberg News reported.

Gulf leaders are also anxious over the expanding war with the Houthis in Yemen. The Saudi coalition has over the last two weeks been beaten back rapidly, impacting overland oil transit – particularly after the East-West pipeline was hit in a drone attack – and Riyadh is looking for urgent military help from its partners. So far Trump has resisted directly joining the expanded conflict.