Trump's remarks came as Trump continues to push rapid artificial intelligence development, even as AI executives including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warn that the technology's advance may need stronger safeguards. Donald Trump put the Iran war at the centre of a White House gathering on artificial intelligence on Tuesday, telling some of the world's leading technology executives that the conflict could become a defining chapter in the history of his presidency. “I think in the years to come, they’ll be writing … the history of our country, and they’ll say that it was one of the most important things that we did,” Trump said. He added that the Iran conflict was “actually one of the most important things that we’ve done under my administration.” The remark came during a lunch with senior figures from the US technology industry, as Trump seeks to accelerate America's development of artificial intelligence and maintain the country's lead in the global AI race. The juxtaposition was striking: inside the White House, Trump was discussing a technology he has described as transformative while also presenting a continuing war in the Middle East as potentially one of the defining events of his presidency. Trump's comments come as the US-Iran conflict continues alongside attempts to keep diplomatic channels open through intermediaries. Trump has repeatedly said the war will end either through an agreement or continued military pressure, while Iran has put forward conditions for renewed negotiations. Trump has repeatedly identified preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon as a central objective of the campaign. He has also linked the conflict to Iran's ability to threaten neighbouring countries and has spoken about creating conditions that could lead to changes inside Iran. At the same time, the administration's military campaign has expanded beyond the narrow question of Iran's nuclear programme. The conflict has affected the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and wider regional security environment, with disruption to energy supplies contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Brent crude was trading above $106 a barrel amid concerns over the continuation of the conflict. The lunch followed a private dinner between Trump and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Sunday. Their meeting came after months of tension over the pace and potential risks of advanced AI development. The White House has pushed for American AI leadership, while Amodei has argued that developers should slow the pace of frontier-model development so that safety measures can keep up. Amodei recently warned about risks ranging from cyberattacks to bioterrorism and urged technology companies to “pace the frontier”. His position has put him at odds with Trump's broader emphasis on accelerating AI development and building more computing infrastructure in the United States. Other technology leaders have also entered the debate over how quickly increasingly capable AI systems should be developed and what safeguards should accompany them. The White House gathering therefore brought together two of Trump's central themes: the drive to establish US technological dominance and his administration's approach to the Iran conflict. For Trump, both are being presented as matters that could shape America's future. At the AI lunch, however, he made clear which one he believes may ultimately occupy the history books first. Yuvraj Tyagi is a Senior Copy Editor, specializing in security, national, international and defense affairs. With extensive experience covering the Ka... View More