President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran on Wednesday night, saying the United States is closely watching activity at the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and threatening a powerful military response if Tehran attempts to advance its nuclear program there.

Speaking at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, Trump said U.S. officials had detected signs of renewed activity at the underground facility, which is located near Iran’s badly damaged Natanz uranium enrichment complex.

“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” he said.

Trump defended the ongoing war against Iran as necessary to ensure that the Islamic Republic does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Pickaxe Mountain, which contains two deeply buried tunnel complexes, has been under close U.S. scrutiny for months.

“For 51 years, people have been trying to, and other Presidents have been trying to talk them out of it, but they don’t understand talk, these people. They only understand one thing, and that’s they’re getting plenty of it.”

NOW – Trump, at GOP midterm convention: "We noticed there's a little activity at Pickaxe [Mountain]. I would advise Iran not to get cute. Because we will have to hit them very hard, we have no choice." pic.twitter.com/BFvWXprOGc

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) September 10, 2026

The warning echoed similar comments Trump made last week, when he raised the possibility that American forces could target Pickaxe Mountain if evidence emerged of nuclear-related activity at the site.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters at the Oval Office last week, before adding, “We may hit Pickaxe very soon…if there was anything going on with Pickaxe.”

Trump: I think we should call the Hormuz Strait, we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of this. pic.twitter.com/6GvxDyMxOU

— Acyn (@Acyn) September 10, 2026

Trump has been publicly threatening possible U.S. action against Pickaxe Mountain since at least July. Recent satellite imagery has indicated an increase in construction activity at the facility, according to an analysis published this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

During Wednesday night’s address, Trump also turned his attention to the Strait of Hormuz, joking that the strategically crucial waterway should eventually bear his name.

The President predicted that oil prices would decline once the United States wins the war against Iran, saying they “will be going down as soon as we win the war with Iran, which is taking place right now.”

Trump then asserted that the United States now controls the critical shipping route and suggested a new name for it.

“We’ll win it. We’re winning it. We control the Hormuz Strait. I think we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of it. The Trump Strait.”

“I’ll have an announcement, we’ll call it the Trump Strait. And I’m sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that,” the President continued. “I’d like to tell you it was their idea. It was not their idea. Don’t think they’re too happy about it. I don’t think they’re too happy.”

The remarks came after Trump told reporters earlier Wednesday that he believes the war could end shortly after the November midterm elections.

“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” he said, arguing that Iran “can’t hold out any longer.”

Trump further alleged that Tehran is deliberately attempting to keep the fighting going in hopes of affecting the outcome of the midterms.

“They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s prediction of a relatively swift conclusion to the war reportedly differs from assessments being discussed by some senior members of his administration. The Wall Street Journal reported that White House officials have privately warned the President that the conflict could continue for years, potentially lasting through the end of his current term in January 2029.

According to the report, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top administration officials have considered the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting the American blockade and military campaign for an extended period, despite Trump’s public statements suggesting that the war could soon be brought to an end.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended the administration’s handling of the conflict in comments to The Wall Street Journal, saying, “President Trump has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities and is crippling what’s left of its abysmal economy with the most powerful naval blockade in world history and crushing sanctions,” and adding, “Only President Trump knows what he will do and when.”