WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump sought to project strength through a week of diplomacy, but his UN address and White House meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping also exposed challenges from the continuing Iran war, strained ties with allies, and China's growing global influence.

Trump's UN speech on September 22 showed how much he has changed Washington's approach since returning to office last year.

Speaking before world leaders, he defended military action and threatened to "annihilate" Iran if Tehran did not agree to a deal. He also defended pressure on Venezuela and suggested that the United States could use military power to achieve its international goals.

The speech came as the Iran war approached its seven-month mark. The conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has disrupted energy supplies and spread into Yemen and the Red Sea shipping route.

The war has also created problems at home for Trump. Rising U.S. gasoline prices have added to public pressure, while the conflict has divided parts of his political base. His Republican Party faces midterm elections in November, when control of Congress could become a major political issue.

Iran has remained one of the hardest foreign policy challenges of Trump's second term. Despite military and economic pressure, Tehran has continued to reject U.S. demands. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran will not surrender, while maintaining that diplomacy remains possible. The United States and Iran remain far apart on how to end the conflict.

Trump's meeting with Xi on September 24 sharply contrasted with his tough language at the UN. The Chinese leader arrived in Washington for a state visit filled with ceremony, but the talks produced limited progress on major disagreements involving trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and Iran.

The clearest result was a two-month extension of the U.S.-China trade truce. The agreement, due to expire in November, gives both sides more time to negotiate economic issues. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the extension would provide more time to work on the economic relationship.

Chinese officials also pressed the issue of Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes formal independence. Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues between Washington and Beijing.

Trump's softer public approach towards Xi was notable because his earlier China policy relied heavily on tariffs and economic pressure. China's control of rare earth minerals, which are essential for technology and vehicle manufacturing, has given Beijing significant leverage.

Brett Bruen, a former Obama administration foreign policy adviser who now heads the Global Situation Room consultancy, said: "Trump sees himself taking us back to a world where might makes right. But it's noteworthy that he goes all wobbly when it comes to Xi Jinping and ascendant Chinese power."

The White House rejected the suggestion that Trump's foreign policy had stalled. A White House official said his UN speech showed progress in advancing U.S. interests, including efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Tehran has consistently said its nuclear program is peaceful.

With midterm elections approaching, foreign governments may prepare for changes in U.S. political influence. Trump himself appeared to acknowledge uncertainty about his power during his UN speech, questioning how much influence he could exercise.

In his speech, when he told world leaders that he wanted to rebrand AI as "super intelligence," he added, "Let's see if I have any power. Maybe I do, and maybe I don't. We're going to find out pretty soon."