Trump threatens Iran in fiery UN speech. What’s next? | The Excerpt

On the Thursday, September 24, 2026, episode of The Excerpt podcast: From Iran and Cuba to Ukraine and NATO, President Trump's UN visit touched nearly every major foreign policy challenge facing the United States. Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY White House correspondent, examines the biggest moment and what to watch as Trump heads into a high-stakes meeting with China's leader.

Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

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Earlier this week, President Donald Trump used his UN address to lay out a stark choice for Iran.

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? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?

This is…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/