Donald Trump said a nuclear-armed Iran posed a greater threat than any economic fallout from resumed military strikes.2 min readJun 23, 2026 07:24 AM IST First published on: Jun 23, 2026 at 07:16 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookPresident Donald Trump holds a signed executive order about quantum computing, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Photo: AP)US President Donald Trump Monday said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon outweighs the risk of triggering a global economic depression and warned that military action remains on the table if Tehran fails to honour its commitments.Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said a nuclear-armed Iran posed a greater threat than any economic fallout from resumed military strikes, directly addressing concerns that a return to war could tip the world into recession.“Nuclear weapon supersedes depression,” Trump said. “Depression is real bad but a nuclear weapon will cause depression much more quickly.”REPORTER: ‘If the war with Iran could cause a worldwide depression… are you willing to risk economic catastrophe?’TRUMP: ‘Nuclear weapon supersedes depression’ pic.twitter.com/WPh5ZPuDo8— RT (@RT_com) June 22, 2026Asked whether he was willing to risk a worldwide economic downturn by striking Iran again if the deal collapses, Trump said: “It’s not going to cause depression not the way I’m doing it.” He went on to say that if Iran did not comply, he would act regardless. “If Iran doesn’t live up to their agreement, or if they’re not behaving, I will do what I have to do. As long as Iran respects us, we are not going to have any trouble.”US President Donald Trump. (Photo: AP)Trump also acknowledged earlier this week that economic fears, including the prospect of being compared to Herbert Hoover — the US president associated with the Great Depression — had been among the factors that led him to sign the ceasefire memorandum with Iran.Also read ‘Nuclear honesty’: Trump and Vance say Iran agreed to inspections; Tehran says no such deal was madeMonday’s remarks appeared to signal that while economics drove him to the table, they would not stop him from walking away.Story continues below this adAsked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated intention to keep Israeli troops in southern Lebanon an apparent contradiction of the memorandum’s call for a ceasefire on all fronts Trump said he would look into the matter, adding that he knows how to deal with Netanyahu.(With inputs from CNN)AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Jun 23: Latest News01France vs Iraq, FIFA World Cup 2026 highlights: Mbappe, Dembele give FRA 3-0 win after 2-hour-long delay02Messi becomes FIFA World Cup’s all-time highest goal-scorer, goes past Klose03Documentary on Kirti Chakra awardee military hero Major Tathawade to be screened across India04Paresh Rawal calls Akshay Kumar ‘extremely honest’, says is a ‘family man’; expert weighs in05Youngster selling guns through Instagram calls arrested, 5 pistols seizedAdvertisementLive BlogUS-Iran War News Live Updates: Vance and Iranian state media issue conflicting statements over UN nuclear inspector access8 minutes agoCBSE Class 10 Second Board Result 2026 Live Updates: Exams concluded in May, when are results expected?15 minutes agoAP EAMCET Results 2026 Live Updates: EAPCET results to be out after CBSE 12th revaluation result7 hours agoWest Bengal Budget 2026 Live Updates: BJP drops big-ticket schemes with 20% DA hike, 1 lakh jobs, and Rs 36,000 cr ‘Annapurna Yojna’13 hours agoNEET Re-Exam Paper Analysis 2026 Highlights: ‘Result sooner than expected,’ says NTA DG14 hours ago