Trump Warns Iran: ‘We’ll Knock Them Down Again’ If Nuclear Program Advances

Summary:

President Trump issued a stark warning to Iran during a December 2025 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, threatening renewed military strikes if Iran attempts to rebuild its ballistic missile capabilities or reconstitute nuclear enrichment facilities destroyed in June 2025 U.S. bombings. The leaders discussed escalating Middle East tensions, potential Israeli preemptive strikes on Iranian targets, and stalled Phase Two Gaza ceasefire negotiations requiring Hamas disarmament. This meeting coincides with Trump’s parallel diplomatic maneuvers regarding Ukraine-Russia peace talks and escalated U.S. actions against Venezuela, revealing a multi-front approach to global security challenges.

What This Means for You:

• Energy Market Volatility: Prepare for potential oil price fluctuations as U.S.-Iran tensions threaten Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes (carrying 20% of global oil)
• Security Alert Expansion: Review State Department travel advisories for Israel/Iran regions as heightened conflict risks emerge
• Defense Sector Impacts: Monitor defense stocks (LMT, RTX) anticipating replenishment contracts for precision-guided munitions
• Ceasefire Deadline Risk: Humanitarian organizations should ready contingency plans for possible Gaza violence resurgence if Hamas-Israel negotiations fail

Original Post:

US President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) upon arrival at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 29, 2025.

Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

President Donald Trump on Monday appeared open to additional military action against Iran if the country attempts to build up its reserves of ballistic weapons and reestablish its nuclear program. However, he urged the country to negotiate.

“Now, I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening,” Trump said, standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I heard Iran wants to make a deal. If they want to make a deal that’s much smarter,” the president continued.

Trump gaggled with reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida ahead of a meeting there with Netanyahu, which comes at a fraught time for the Middle East and amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.

Gaza was also expected to be discussed by the two world leaders on Monday, Trump said, as the White House seeks to advance a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The first phase of the agreement took effect in October and has mostly held. But a second phase – which would call on Hamas to disarm and require Israeli military forces to withdraw – has proven more challenging.

Netanyahu has said the second phase cannot begin until Hamas returns the remains of the final deceased Israeli hostage. Trump said on Monday that he hopes to proceed to the second phase “as quickly as we can. But there has to be a disarmament… we have to disarm with Hamas.”

Foreign policy has dominated Trump’s schedule of late. On Sunday, he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. The Trump administration is facilitating negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to try to bring an end to the multiyear conflict between the two nations.

Extra Information:

• IAEA Iran Nuclear Program Reports – Verified technical assessments of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities
• UN Gaza Ceasefire Tracker – Official timelines of ceasefire implementation phases
• U.S. Venezuela Sanctions Database – Comprehensive list of current oil/tanker restrictions

People Also Ask About:

• Why is Trump targeting Iran’s nuclear program again? U.S. intelligence suggests rapid reconstruction at Fordow and Natanz enrichment sites.
• What’s blocking the Israel-Hamas ceasefire Phase Two? Hamas refuses disarmament until full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza territories.
• How are U.S.-Venezuela tensions affecting oil markets? 14 Iranian oil tankers currently detained under Trump’s expanded sanctions regime.
• What progress exists in Ukraine-Russia peace talks? Both sides agreed in principle to territorial concessions but disagree on security guarantees.

Expert Opinion:

“This three-pronged pressure campaign (Iran, Venezuela, Russia) represents a high-risk geostrategic bet,” observes Dr. Eleanor Rasmussen of the Center for Strategic Studies. “By simultaneously confronting multiple adversaries without NATO consensus, the administration is banking on overwhelming force projection to compel negotiations – a tactic with narrow margins for error given potential escalation pathways.”

Key Terms:

• Trump Iran nuclear program military escalation
• Israel Gaza ceasefire Phase Two requirements
• U.S.-Venezuela oil tanker seizure impacts
• Ballistic missile production reconstitution timelines
• Mar-a-Lago Middle East strategy summit

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