President Trump warns Iran on nuclear threat in State of Union address

Iran attacked the president Donald Trump He put the regime on notice in his State of the Union address, issuing a strong warning about Tehran’s ambitions while world leaders remained largely silent in the immediate aftermath.

Speaking amid the largest deployment of US aircraft and warships to the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War, Trump said he wanted to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy while accusing Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.

“They have already developed missiles that could threaten Europe and our bases abroad,” he said. “They are working on building missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.”

US President Donald J. Trump delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term before a joint session of Congress on the House floor in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Sitting behind him are Vice President J.D. Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. (Kenny Holston/Pool via Reuters)

Trump added: “I would rather solve this problem through diplomacy.” “They want to make a deal. But we never heard those secret words: We will never have a deal Nuclear weapon“.

“But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism… to possess a nuclear weapon. We cannot allow that to happen.”

Trump said previous US actions, including the “Operation Midnight Hammer” strike in June, had been severely reversed Iran’s capabilities But he warned that the threat has not disappeared.

“We eliminated it and they want to start over and at this moment they are once again continuing their evil ambitions,” he said.

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A June 24, 2025 satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows bomb damage at Iran’s Fordo fuel enrichment facility. The image reveals craters and devastation in the surrounding facility after US air strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. (Maxar Technologies)

Tehran strongly rejected Trump’s claims about its missile and nuclear programs. according to Associated PressIranian officials described the US statements as propaganda, but stopped short of closing the door on diplomacy before the Geneva talks.

The Times of India reported that Iranian officials warned that any US military strike, even if “limited,” would be treated as aggression and would be met with a decisive response.

This exchange highlighted the widening gap between public discourse and ongoing diplomatic efforts as Washington and Tehran prepare for another round of talks. Nuclear talks in Geneva.

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Smoke billows from burning vehicles amid a wave of violence, with burning vehicles and gunmen blocking highways in more than six states, following a military operation Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, on February 22, 2026, a government source said. (Screen image obtained from a video on social media. @morelifediares via Instagram/Youtube/via Reuters)

Trump also linked his foreign policy agenda to broader regional security efforts, pointing to recent operations in the Western Hemisphere and the US campaign against terrorism. Drug gangs.

He added: “We are also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, and we are working to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference.” “Deadly drug cartels have controlled large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico. That is why I have designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations… We have also taken down one of the most evil cartel leaders of all time. You saw that yesterday,” he said, referring to the operation that killed Mexican drug lord El Mencho.

European coverage portrayed the speech as firm and confrontational, with analysts closely monitoring its implications NATO coordinationUkraine policy and trade relations. The reports emphasized Trump’s link between diplomacy and military preparedness, as well as the administration’s broader stance toward alliances and deterrence.

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NATO leaders pose in this photo taken in June. Military leaders will meet in Washington on Tuesday evening to discuss securities options for Ukraine. (Claudia Greco/Reuters)

“NATO countries… just agreed, at my very strong request, to pay 5% of GDP for military defense instead of 2%,” Trump said during his speech, presenting the move as evidence of a change in burden-sharing within the alliance.

Across global media, one theme emerged clearly: the discourse seemed primarily oriented toward domestic political messages while still carrying international signaling influences.

Trump has repeatedly linked US military power to deterrence, telling lawmakers that the United States “will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must,” focusing on a broader strategy of “peace through strength,” according to Reuters’ coverage of the speech.

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President Donald Trump applauds with Vice President J.D. Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, as he delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, February 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Foreign policy analysts cited in international reports described the speech as promoting a transactional approach to global security, with diplomacy presented as conditional and backed by force.

For Tehran, the message was clear and unambiguous. Trump described the nuclear issue as non-negotiable in terms of outcome, with the next round of negotiations scheduled to begin in Geneva on Thursday.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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