Did Trump's UN speech convince voters on Iran?

Justin Webb (0:00)

Hello, it's Justin here, and hello to all the new listeners to Americast. There are quite a few of you at the moment, so if you do enjoy what you hear, please do consider subscribing to the podcast. That way, you will never miss an episode. Now, on with this one.

Sumi Somaskanda (0:14)

Donald Trump used the podium here at the United Nations to renew his threats against Iran. So in front of the international community, he said he's either going to make a deal or he's going to annihilate them. But he said also talks are going well. The big story here at the UN is always what is happening behind the scenes. There are backroom deals, sideline discussions, bilateral meetings taking place, all of which have involved President Trump as well. But is he in a weaker position than he was the previous year? Welcome to Americast.

Americast. Americast from BBC News.

SPEAKER_4 (0:51)

Whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife's name the hell out of your mouth because she's way out of your league.

SPEAKER_5 (0:57)

The tide is coming and this time, we intend to win it all.

SPEAKER_6 (1:03)

See, he doesn't want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.

Donald Trump (1:15)

When I'm not around, you're going to be broke. There's not going to be anybody to report on. Nobody gives a damn about anybody else.

Anthony Zurcher (1:27)

Hello, it's Anthony here at my home in Arlington, Virginia.

Sumi Somaskanda (1:30)

And it is Sumi sitting just outside the United Nations in New York. It is cold and windy. We have been literally chained to this spot for the past few days, but we've got a great window to the world walking by quite literally.

There are world leaders going up and down the steps all the time. We are shouting questions at them. Sometimes they answer and most often, Anthony, they do not. But the UN General Assembly happens every year. It is an opportunity for leaders from around the world to come to deliver an address to other world leaders, to the delegates in the chamber, and then most importantly, to have bilateral meetings. And we've seen a ton of that. But from the US perspective, this year has been overshadowed by the war in Iran, by the very high oil prices inflation that is impacting countries around the world.

Anthony Zurcher (2:18)

Yeah, of course, one of those world leaders, perhaps the most prominent one, was Donald Trump, who flew up to New York on Tuesday and had his big address. He's been doing that regularly while he's president. It's been a closely watched moment. Sometimes it's been more acrimonious. This time, well, let's listen to a little bit about what he talked about, both domestically and in the big stories internationally, including the Iran War.

Donald Trump (2:41)

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? But 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. What they don't realize is that I'm not running. I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran. It doesn't even enter my mind. The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Last month, we signed the largest oil deal in history covering 65 billion barrels of oil. 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 that.

Sumi Somaskanda (4:04)

Yeah. What an interesting speech. I wasn't actually in the room, as I said previously. I've been chained in the spot, but was listening closely. And our colleagues, Tom Bateman, was in the room, and I spoke to a number of people who came out afterwards. You know, it wasn't, let's say, as critical of the UN and of the international community as President Trump was last year. So, a few people found it a bit more muted than his previous speeches to the UN were in 2025, when he basically said, you're all going to hell over immigration, and this is a body that delivers empty words and cannot resolve a conflict. Well, there was a bit of praise for the United Nations Security Council from President Trump over passing a resolution to condemn Iran's attacks on commercial shipping. And so, there was some applause around that, some polite applause when he shouted out Melania Trump for the work that she's been doing. And all in all, you know, the Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg came out afterwards and was talking to us, and he said, this felt a lot like a domestic speech. He was speaking to a US audience and trying to make his case for why his war in Iran is needed. And, you know, it wasn't necessarily for our audiences. But you did see, you know, mostly impassive faces when he was speaking to the Iranian delegation.