Jun 19, 2026 - Politics & Policy
WATCH: President Trump talks Iran, Cuba, Israel, AI, and power on "The Axios Show"
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President Trump tells "The Axios Show" that his deal to end the war in Iran averted a global depression, that Cuba could get the same treatment as Venezuela, and that a leading AI lab looked in recent days like a national security threat.
The big picture: In a sweeping 45-minute interview on Thursday with Axios White House correspondent Marc Caputo, Trump made clear his view of the extent of his post-war power: "There are no limits."
What he's saying: The president touched on many of the world's hot-button topics in a Roosevelt Room sitdown:
- 🇮🇷 Ending the war in Iran: "This is the kind of thing that could cause a worldwide depression," Trump said, adding that his deal averted that fate.
- 🇨🇺 On whether an action in Cuba would be as swift as the one in Venezuela: "It's possible," Trump said. "These places are close by. Whereas if you look at Iran, that's a very long trip. ... Venezuela is relatively close and Cuba's a hopscotch."
- 🇮🇱 On Israel's fate: "If it weren't for me, Israel would not exist today because I terminated the Barack Hussein Obama deal, the JCPOA, which was a road to a nuclear weapon."
- 🤖 If Anthropic's latest models pose a national security risk: "Well, not now, but a week ago maybe."
- 💪 The limits of his power in the wake of the war: "There are no limits," Trump said. "I haven't learned that lesson yet. I know there are, but there are no limits."
Go deeper: Trump's all-powerful "Great Man" theory
- This episode has been edited for brevity .... Watch the extended interview.
