Trump Threatens To Annihilate Iran. World Shrugs (S01E156)

Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Istanbul

Donald Trump’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly was filled with lies and bluster. It was in part a campaign speech ahead of the midterm elections he falsely claims not to care about. He also threatened war crimes against Iran, prompting nary a peep from upholders of the global order.

In the latest episode of badlands, I discuss Trump’s speech, including his claim that Iran killed “72,000” people in January, and what the world’s non-reaction to his speech says about international diplomacy and multilateral institutions.

In interviews with India’s NewsX World, I also discuss Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech, Iran’s claims of new weapons, and the prospects for a diplomatic solution in the Iran conflict.

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