Trump presents ultimatum on Iran: Deal or 'finish them off'

US President Donald Trump on Sunday presented a stark ultimatum regarding Tehran, questioning whether Washington should finalize a diplomatic agreement or pursue total military destruction against the Islamic Republic as the US-Israeli war entered its third month.

'Finish them off' or deal

Speaking to Fox News, Trump framed future action as a binary choice between diplomacy and escalated military operations. "Do I make a deal with them, or do I finish them off? That's the only question," he told the network, suggesting Washington could launch fresh strikes or secure a comprehensive accord while questioning whether Tehran would honor potential commitments.

Asserting that American forces exert full maritime dominance over the Gulf transit corridor, Trump said: "Remember, we now control the Hormuz Strait. They get nothing. Yes, we get everything." He maintained that commercial activity through the chokepoint exceeds pre-war levels, calling the US Navy's enforcement of the blockade on Iranian ports and shipping "unbelievable." The war began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched military action against Iran, prompting retaliation and the subsequent blocking of the Strait of Hormuz despite a ceasefire and memorandum to conclude a final peace deal.

Border enforcement and European unrest

Turning to immigration, Trump linked urban unrest across European cities to lax border enforcement, contrasting the situation abroad with controls implemented in the US over the past 18 months. "I closed the border. You know that we've had zero infiltration," Trump said, asserting that "zero illegal aliens" entered in that timeframe while claiming previous policies permitted millions of arrivals.

Pointing to recent protests across France, Italy, Belgium, and Spain, Trump said he earlier warned French President Emmanuel Macron: "'You are destroying France. You're letting people come in that hate your country.'" He argued that mass migrant flows into Spain illustrate broader instability across Europe, according to Anadolu Agency.

Taiwan and semiconductor trade

Addressing advanced technology and manufacturing, Trump accused Taiwan of having "stolen" the entire US semiconductor sector through predatory pricing. "They stole our chip business, all of it, 100%, because they made chips at a ridiculous price, and they just pushed them in," Trump said, adding that stronger executive leadership in Washington would have averted broader regional friction with China.