U.S. President Donald Trump once again took to the podium at the United Nations on Tuesday to promote his administration's policies in front of world leaders and issue pointed threats to some of the countries present.
The lengthy speech covered a wide range of topics, including the war with Iran, artificial intelligence (AI), Cuba and the role of the U.S. military.
BBC reporters who covered the speech identified five key moments that stood out.
1. Trump vigorously promotes American strength
By Sarah Smith, North America editor, reporting from the scene
The US president has little respect for the United Nations, which he accuses of promoting a far-left agenda, but he does enjoy using the global platform.
He used Tuesday's speech to promote his achievements and call himself a peacemaker, while also issuing a number of pointed threats.
Iran could be completely destroyed; lethal strikes against small vessels suspected of smuggling drugs would continue; the Cuban regime could even be overthrown.
His message was clear: The United States is still prepared to use its military power as long as Trump deems it necessary to safeguard U.S. national interests.
Skip hot reading and continue reading
hot reading
End of Hot Reading
Trump said he was "reviving American power" and demonstrating what he called America's "unrivaled military power."
"The United States will no longer allow any force that poses a threat to the United States to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere," he said.
Trump once again declared "America First" to the world in a high-profile manner.
2. Trump called Cuba a "failed state" and Cuban representatives left the meeting in protest
By White House Correspondent Bernd Debusmann Jr., reporting from the scene
Trump took aim at Cuba, one of the United States' closest neighbors, calling it "a completely failed state" and said his administration had been pushing to "fundamentally change the situation in Cuba."
"It will collapse," he said.
As Trump continued to speak, the Cuban delegation left the venue in protest.
Over the past year, the U.S. president has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of Cuba's communist government. On Tuesday, he said the regime was under "tremendous pressure" and was "failing to an unprecedented degree".
However, he did not elaborate on what form the changes in Cuba would take.
Cuba's foreign minister responded angrily to Trump's comments, accusing the US president of spreading "lies".
"The United States government cannot accept the fact that Cuba is, and has the right to be, a fully sovereign and independent country," Bruno Rodriguez wrote on the X platform.
3. Direct threats to "annihilate" Iran
By Khashayar Joneidi, BBC Persian correspondent in Washington
Trump presented Iran with a stark choice at the United Nations General Assembly: strike a deal with Washington and rebuild the country, or face the Islamic republic's swift "total destruction."
He later predicted again that an agreement to end the war would likely be reached after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
His remarks demonstrated Trump's consistent coercive diplomacy strategy: keeping the door open for negotiations while also threatening overwhelming force.
But his language blurred the line between destroying the political system and threatening the Iranian state itself.
International law experts have previously expressed concern about what they called "alarming rhetoric" used by U.S. officials, including Trump himself. He once wrote that the United States might "totally destroy" Iran's power plants.
The reference in Tuesday's speech to leaving Iran with "no chance of survival" and leaving its descendants with "no hope" is likely to raise similar alarms. What is even more ironic is that this warning was issued at the United Nations, the organization established to protect future generations from the scourge of war.
However, the speech was not a declaration that diplomatic efforts had failed.
Rather, it was a statement that sought to define the terms of possible future negotiations: The United States remains ready to make a deal, but only if it is done under the shadow of an existential threat.
4. Trump praises new Greenland security deal
By: White House correspondent Bernd Debusmann Jr. reporting from the scene
Trump also praised a new deal with Greenland, under which he said the United States would build two military bases on the Arctic territory.
"We will be fully capable of taking all necessary measures to defend the American continent and also defend Europe," he said of the deal, which he first announced on Friday.
He added that the agreement would "significantly strengthen" the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) defense alliance.
Shortly after Trump's speech, the United States, Denmark and Greenland held a joint signing ceremony at the United Nations.
Although Greenland is a territory with a high degree of autonomy, it is still part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its foreign policy is primarily the responsibility of Denmark.
Trump administration officials have hailed the agreement as an outcome that would improve U.S. security at minimal cost while maintaining good relations.
However, the governments of Denmark and Greenland hope that the agreement will end long-standing disputes. The controversy began when Trump threatened to seize Greenland by force.
This threat has shaken the NATO alliance and seriously tested the relationship between the United States and Denmark.
Some analysts viewed the deal as a low-key diplomatic victory, given that Trump had spent months trying to buy or annex the highly autonomous territory.
5. Artificial Intelligence’s Renaming Attempt
By Nada Tawfik, United Nations correspondent in New York
Trump has always been good at branding. In this speech, he gave artificial intelligence (AI) a new name: "Super Intelligence".
"The word 'artificial' sounds fake," he said. "But it's not fake. It's actually quite remarkable. But we have to be careful."
