Trump to announce new $15B steel plant: White House official
U.S. President Donald Trump waves to the crowd during the Presidents Cup 2026 at Medinah Country Club on Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Illinois. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump will announce the construction of a massive new steel plant during an Oval Office event on Monday, a White House official said.
The project, which will be built by Mesabi Metallics in Iowa, will command a $15 billion investment from the company and is the first mega-steel plant built in the United States since the 1960s, the official said. The first steel production is expected to be in 2030 and, once fully built out, will produce 10 million tons of steel annually, making it among the largest in the U.S.
The company also recently invested $2.5 billion in a new iron ore mine in Minnesota, which the official said will allow the project to be fully integrated in the U.S. from mining to production. The mine is expected to produce 7.5 million tons of iron ore annually and will create 350 new jobs in Minnesota. Another 1,750 jobs are expected in Iowa, the official added.
“Today’s announcement underscores the President’s historic efforts to revitalize the U.S. steel industry — supporting local communities, strengthening supply chains, and protecting our national security,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement confirming the announcement.
Executives from Mesabi Metallics are expected to attend the event on Monday, as well as Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Executive Director of the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council Jarrod Agen and John Jovanovic, chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the details of the project.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Mesabi Metallics is backed by the Essar Group, an Indian multinational conglomerate, which first proposed the mine and mill project 20 years ago, and ultimately failed. The mine project filed for bankruptcy a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S Supreme Court is seen on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. . (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rolled back longstanding limits on the amount of money political parties can spend in coordination with individual candidates for federal office — a ruling that could unleash a wave of new spending before the midterms. The Supreme Court said the spending limits violate the First Amendment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters, Sept. 22, 2026, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said during his speech to global leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday that he has a “big decision” to make: to strike a deal with Iran to end the war or to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” and “drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness.”
“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump said.
“Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?” Trump added.
The president’s message comes as a core Iranian delegation traveled to New York for the gathering of world leaders.
Since the war began nearly seven months ago the president has made repeated threats to launch devastating attacks on Iran, only to pull back in hopes of a deal. He has backed off large threats on at least eight occasions.
The president has claimed that he is not on any timeline and told reporters that the upcoming midterm elections do not impact his strategy. On Tuesday, Trump said in his speech that he doesn’t believe there will be an agreement before the midterm elections.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election, because it doesn’t make sense for them not to. They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election,” Trump said.
But later, Trump claimed that he will “get it done” fast when it comes to Iran.
“In addition, the United States and Iran will definitely get it done. We will get it done, one way or the other. It’s going to be done. It’s got to be done fast,” Trump added.
The president also pushed back on assertions that the U.S. is low on munitions despite a Pentagon report acknowledging the war with Iran created a shortage.
“The cowards and traitors would love to say the United States is low and munitions, but that’s not true. We have more munitions than we could ever possibly even think of using, and we’re building them at levels that we have never done before. We are adding to our stockpiles faster than we have ever been able to do before,” Trump said.
The president seemed to make his case for the war as the impacts reverberate across the globe, once again pointing to the history of terrorism and oppression by the Iranian regime.
“As president of the most extraordinary nation in history, I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day,” the president said.
“I do not believe in letting problems fester. They only become harder to solve. So while others have talked, I have acted. While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace. While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them,” Trump added.
The president also thanked the UN for its support for a resolution to say that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. He also made the case to European allies that his decision to go to war with Iran would also protect them, saying he hoped those nations “realized that.”
The president, after making the case for the war, then urged global leaders to show unity — and promised that crushing oil prices will fall as soon as the war ends.
“If we stand united, we will soon see a world free of the last 51-year menace of Iranian terror, and oil prices will come plummeting down even lower than they were at the start of the conflict. And they were very low in the United States. They were really low. With courage and resolve, anything is possible,” Trump said.
The average gallon of regular is $4.46 a gallon — around $1.52 more since the start of the war; diesel is at $6.51 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.
Trump asserts U.S. dominance over Western Hemisphere
Trump threatened other countries during his speech, asserting American dominance over the Western Hemisphere.
The president took aim at the United States’ neighbors to the south, including Cuba, saying that his administration is “seeking a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba.”
“Marco Rubio is handling a negotiation. He’s deep into negotiations with Cuba. Let’s see what happens. We’ll not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep,” the president said, as the Cuban delegation rose from their seats to exit the assembly hall.
Trump touted his administration’s collaboration with the regime of Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodriguez, who rose to power after the U.S.-led ouster of Nicolas Maduro. The two are set to meet Tuesday evening.
Trump highlighted that the U.S. signed an oil deal with the Rodriguez regime in August, which he has claimed will drive down gas prices around the world.
The president also promoted the United States’ unilateral strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, comparing drug cartels to “the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere.”
“Upon taking office, I designated the drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and unleashed the United States Armed forces to eliminate them,” Trump said.
Trump also noted that he struck a new agreement with Greenland, which he said would give the U.S. greater control over the island.
“We will have the complete ability to do what is necessary to defend the American continent, and also Europe and other places,” Trump said of the agreement.
Trump signed the security deal with the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark later Tuesday.
Trump said he won’t ‘rein in’ artificial intelligence development
As lawmakers and tech leaders express concerns about artificial intelligence and its rapid growth, Trump said that the U.S. will “encourage” AI development, instead of “rein it in.”
“Other law enforcement bodies that will rein things in if we have to do that, but we will only encourage super-intelligence. We’re going to encourage it, not rein it in. We’re going to watch it closely through the Department of Justice,” Trump said.
Trump, who said he would rebrand “artificial intelligence” as “super-intelligence,” repeated his message that the U.S. leads China on AI development — and that “whoever wins super-intelligence wins.”
“I’m not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution, many say bigger than the Industrial Revolution or the internet itself,” Trump said.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen and Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen hold up the proclamations during the signing of a security pact between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 22, 2026. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump signed a security deal with the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“This has been an amazing journey with tremendous people,” Trump said of Denmark’s Mette Frederikson and Greenland’s Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
“This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States, for everybody, and for Greenland,” Trump said. “It’s going to be incredible, and the people of Greenland have been so nice. The people of Denmark have been amazing, and so I know it’s going to be a long-term, fantastic relationship.”
The agreement comes after months of escalating rhetoric from Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to take over the territory citing national security purposes. Trump’s threats, including refusing to rule out taking the territory by military force, sowed tension between the U.S. and its European allies and sparked consternation from Greenlanders.
Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, resisted Trump’s calls to “take over” the island via acquisition or military force. Danish leaders said they were open to negotiating new frameworks for the U.S. military’s presence, but that the sovereignty of the territory was a red line.
The text of the trilateral agreement reveals some red tape that constrains what Trump administration officials have billed as the “complete ability” to do what it deems necessary in Greenland.
While the deal appears to fall short of the “Complete and Total Control” by the U.S. that Trump once called for, it does grant the U.S. ability to expand its military footprint in Greenland.
The deal gives Greenland and Denmark the authority to review requests from the U.S. to build unmanned military installations “under accelerated governmental approval procedures.”
Frederikson praised the agreement, saying that it was “bigger and better” than the deal struck with the U.S. in 1951.
“Seventy-five years ago, we entered into an agreement about the defense of Greenland. Today we are signing an even bigger and better agreement, a deal that can last forever,” she said.
“Mr. President, you have been very clear. You don’t want adversaries to come too close. I fully agree, and with this deal, they are not,” she added.
Under the 1951 agreement amended by the new pact, the U.S. already enjoyed wide latitude to scale up its bases and military footprint on the island.
Nielsen acknowledged that the U.S. national security concerns are legitimate and praised the negotiation process that led to the agreement.
“The security landscape in the Arctic is changing, and we recognize the long term security threats that you, Mr. President, have rightly spoken about. It is for that very reason that we have insisted on engaging in a constructive dialog,” he said. “Your security is our security, and our security is your security.”
Nielsen called the agreement historic and a “win-win-win” for all parties.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte posted on X, “This agreement, along with NATO’s growing role in securing this vital region, enhances our collective security and supports a safer and more stable future for us all.”
In a post on his social media platform last Friday, Trump declared, “At my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to guarantee that the United States will FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the security of Greenland, and the United States of America.”
The text of the deal affirms released Tuesday states that the U.S. can “modernize and expand its activities” at its existing Pituffik Space Base and says it can establish additional bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, following specific terms that the signatories had already agreed to.
If the U.S. wants to expand its footprint beyond that, the agreement requires that it puts forward a proposal that all parties will “immediately convene” to review via a standing committee that was established by an earlier memorandum of understanding.
If no agreement is reached within 90 days, the deal specifies that the proposal will then be elevated to the deputy minister level, and if that fails to the minister level — secretary of state and equivalents. The text does not say what would happen if those consultations don’t end in a consensus.
The deal gives Greenland and Denmark the authority to review requests from the U.S. to build unmanned military installations “under accelerated governmental approval procedures.”
While the agreement details the U.S. military’s right of free access to land, air and sea routes, it does not appear to materially advance privileges granted by the 1951 defense pact.
The agreement also bars non-NATO from establishing military installations in Greenland unless the three parties agree to make an exception.
The agreement also bans countries and individuals from countries that are either not NATO members or partners nor members of the European Union from having control or significant influence over “Particularly Sensitive Sectors” that includes critical infrastructure and the extraction of resources. The deal puts Greenland in charge of ensuring these prohibitions are upheld under its current or future investment screening laws.
The agreement specifies it has no end date and it plans for a contingency in which Greenland declares its independence from Denmark. An independent Greenland will agree to remain a member of NATO, athough that decision would likely not be entirely up to Greenland, the U.S. or Denmark — joining the alliance requires the approval of all NATO members and an independent Greenland would have to go through the application process.
