Technologies

What’s Free in the Epic Games Store This Week?

This week’s free games are an emergency service simulator and a beat-em-up style racing game that lets you live out your motorcycle fantasies.

Looking to expand your gaming collection with brand new games but without breaking the bank? Then you’re in luck, because we’ve got just the thing for you. With game prices climbing higher and tariffs on the rise, it’s understandable to want something for cheap or, if you’re lucky, for free.The good news is, there’s a great place where you can find free games and pick from many budget-friendly options. Enter: the Epic Games Store.

After Epic Games’ success with the free-to-play game Fortnite, the company decided to go one step further. In 2019, Epic launched its own store to rival Steam. Unlike Steam, the Epic Games Store offers free games every week, including charming indie titles and big AAA releases.

If you’re looking to find out how to access these free games, we’re here to guide you. First, create a free Epic Games account. After signing up, go to the free games section on the Epic Games Store every Thursday at 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. BST) to see the week’s selections.

The number of free games you receive each week can change, but you’ll always get at least one. Keep in mind, there might be some breaks during holidays or days when games aren’t announced beforehand. Occasionally, like around Christmastime, Epic surprises us with new free games every day. And the best part? These games are yours to enjoy forever.

While the Epic Games Store is a fantastic resource for gamers, it is only available on PC — so console gamers will, unfortunately, miss out. If you’re a Mac user, you’ll find games available, but it’s a good idea to check that the game is compatible with your device before you download.

What’s the new free game in the Epic Games Store this week? (Aug 14. to Aug. 21)

Hidden Folks

If you’re someone who enjoys figuring out puzzles and don’t get frustrated, no matter how long it takes, then Hidden Folks may be the game for you.

Developed by Adriaan de Jongh and Sylvain Tegroeg, Hidden Folks is a hand-drawn 2D indie game, and as the title suggests, it asks you to find hidden folks. Deceptively simple, this monochrome, casual game is beautiful in its simplicity, asking players to explore miniature landscapes in their hunt for a specific person.

These landscapes aren’t just static. They are completely interactive, meaning that you can open a tent, cut through bushes or climb through windows to find who you’re looking for.

With over 32 hand-drawn areas, 500+ unique interactions and three color modes (sepia, night mode and normal) there’s plenty for you to uncover in Hidden Folks.

Usually $13, Hidden Folks is available for free via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, a review score is not available. However, on rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is “Very Positive,” with its most recent score also being “Very Positive.”

Totally Reliable Delivery Service

If you’re a fan of rag-doll physics and shenanigans that’ll have you and your friends laughing for years to come, you should consider grabbing Totally Reliable Delivery Service from developer We’re Five Games.

Who doesn’t love chaos? With Totally Reliable Delivery Service, you and your friends (both online and multiplayer) take on the task of delivering anything and everything to your customers. Unfortunately, your limbs are about as useful as floppy noodles, and you’ll have to overcome that in order to ensure you deliver the best service possible, even if that means sprinting and tripping every five seconds.

However, this isn’t as simple as it may sound. If you collide with something particularly hard, there’s a good chance you’ll be knocked out cold and you’ll fail in your delivery.

Along with needing to deliver your parcels, there’s plenty of different toys, vehicles and other environmental objects that can be used to help you along the way.

Usually $15, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is available via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Totally Reliable Delivery Service has a review score of 4.5 out of 5. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is “Very Positive,” with its most recent score being “Mixed.”

What will be free in the Epic Games Store next week? (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge

Let me ask you a question: Would you turn down the chance to work at a frog refuge? And if so, here’s my follow up question: What’s wrong with you?

Armor Games Studio dared to ask the question of what it would be like to have a frog sanctuary, and for you, as someone who works there, to look after all the frogs. The answer is Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge, a cozy, creature-collecting game that describes itself as “relaxing” and for “casual” gamers.

Players are able to collect over 500 frogs and add them to their safe haven. As well as breeding and ensuring each frog has a comfortable home, you’ll also be photographing these little critters and decorating their home with native plants and other accessories. Whatever your amphibian friends need to thrive, you’ll be there to help make it happen.

But it isn’t just caring for the frogs, you’ll also be getting your boots muddy to help preserve the frog’s wetland habitat. From digging ponds to let water roam to planting crops to harvest, you’ll have plenty to do in this charming little game.

Usually $20, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is available for free next week via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Kamaeru does not have a review score on the Epic Games Store. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is “Very Positive,” with its most recent score being “Very Positive.”

Strange Horticulture

If you’ve ever thought, ‘I’d like to try my hand at being a mysterious little proprietor at a local plant store,’ then you’ll be happy to know that such a game exists. Enter Strange Horticulture from developer Bad Viking.

With a name like Strange Horticulture, you shouldn’t be surprised to know that your journey begins in the quaint, but quirky town of Undermere. As the new horticulturist, your job is to find and identify new plants. This seems simple enough, but before you know it, you’re thrust into an occult mystery that goes back decades.

A puzzle game at heart, how players interact with their surroundings directly influences how the story unravels. You’ll also affect the colorful cast of characters you meet, so make sure you’re satisfied with your choices before you do something you might regret.

Will you discover Undermere’s dark mysteries, or will they — and the malignant forces of the town — unravel you first?

Usually $15, Strange Horticulture is available for free next week via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Strange Horticulture has a review score of 4.6 out of 5. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is “Very Positive,” with its most recent score being “Very Positive.”

Previous free games in the Epic Games Store

Curious whether your favorite game has been selected as one of Epic’s free games in the past, or wondering what you’ve missed? We have you covered.

Epic Games Store free games in 2025

Strange Horticulture (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)
Kaemaru: A Frog Refuge (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)
Hidden Folks (Aug. 14 to Aug. 21)
Totally Reliable Delivery Service (Aug. 14 to Aug. 21)
112 Operator (Aug. 7 to Aug. 14)
Road Redemption (Aug 7. to Aug. 14)
Keylocker (July 31 to Aug. 7)
Pilgrims (July 31 to Aug. 7)
Legion TD 2 (July 24 to July 31)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (July 17 to July 24)
Figment 2: Creed Valley (July 10 to July 17)
Sky Racket (July 10 to July 17)
Backpack Hero (July 3 to July 10)
Figment (July 3 to July 10)
Sable (June 26 to July 3)
The Operator (June 19 to 26)
Two Point Hospital (June 12 to June 19)
Ogu and the Secret Forest (June 5 to June 12)
Deathloop (June 5 to June 12)
Tiny Tina’s Wonderland (May 29 to June 5)
Limbo (May 29 to June 5)
Deliver At All Costs (May 22 to May 29)
Gigapocalypse (May 22 to May 29)
Sifu (May 22 to May 29)
Dead Island 2 (May 15 to May 22)
Happy Game (May 15 to May 22)
Touch Type Tale (May 8 to May 15)
Deadtime Defenders (May 8 to May 15)
Super Space Club (May 1 to May 8)
Chuchel (April 24 to May 1)
Albion Online (April 24 to May 1)
Botanicula (April 17 to April 24)
Firestone Online Idle RPG (April 17 to April 24)
River City Girls (April 10 to April 17)
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (April 10 to April 17)
Arcadgeddon (April 10 to April 17)
Cat Quest II (April 3 to April 10)
Cat Quest (March 27 to April 3)
Neko Ghost, Jump (March 27 to April 3)
Jurassic World Evolution 2 (March 20 to March 27)
Mortal Shell (March 13 to March 20)
World of Warships: Anniversary Party Favor DLC (March 13 to March 20)
Them’s Fighting Herds (March 6 to March 13)
Mages of Mystralia (Feb. 27 to March 6)
World War Z Aftermath (Feb. 20 to Feb. 27)
Garden Story (Feb. 20 to Feb. 27)
F1 Manager 2024 (Feb. 13 to Feb. 20)
Humankind (Feb. 6 to Feb. 13)
Beyond Blue (Feb. 6 to Feb. 13)
Undying (Jan. 30 to Feb. 6)
Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Jan. 23 to Jan. 30)
Escape Academy (Jan. 16 to Jan. 23)
Turmoil (Jan. 9 to Jan. 16)
Hell Let Loose (Jan. 2 to Jan. 9)
Kingdom Come Deliverance (Jan. 1)

Epic Games Store free games in 2024

Sifu (Dec. 31)
[Redacted] (Dec. 30 to Dec. 31)
Orcs Must Die 3 (Dec. 29 to Dec. 30)
Kill Knight (Dec. 28 to Dec. 29)
Hot Wheels Unleashed (Dec. 27 to Dec. 28)
Ghostrunner 2 (Dec. 26 to Dec. 27)
Control (Dec. 25 to Dec. 26)
Dredge (Dec. 24 to Dec. 25)
Darker and Darker: Legendary Status (Dec. 23 to Dec. 24)
Wizard of Legend (Dec. 22 to Dec. 23)
TerraTech (Dec. 21 to Dec. 22)
Astrea: Six Sided Oracles (Dec. 20 to Dec. 21)
Vampire Survivors (Dec. 19 to Dec. 20)
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (Dec. 12 to Dec. 19)
Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Dec. 5 to Dec. 12)
Brotato (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5)
Beholder (Nov. 21 to Nov. 28)
Castlevania Anniversary Collection; Snakebird Complete (Nov. 14 to Nov. 21)
Apex Legends Ash Unlock Bundle; Deceive Inc (Nov. 7 to Nov. 14)
Witch It; Ghostwire: Tokyo (Oct. 31 to Nov. 7)
Moving Out (Oct. 24 to Oct. 31)
Kardboard Kings; Invincible Presents: Atom Eve (Oct. 17 to Oct. 24)
Empyrion: Galactic Survival; Outliver: Tribulations (Oct. 10 to Oct. 17)
Bear and Breakfast (Oct. 3 to Oct. 10)
The Spirit and The Mouse (Sept. 26 to Oct. 3)
TOEM; The Last Stand: Aftermath (Sept. 19 to Sept. 26)
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland; Super Crazy Rhythm Castle (Sept. 12 to Sept. 19)
Football Manager 2024; Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts (Sept. 5 to Sept. 12)
Wild Card Football; Fallout: Classic Collection (Aug. 29 to Sept. 5)
Gigantic: Rampage Edition; The Callisto Protocol (Aug. 22 to Aug. 29)
Death’s Gambit: Afterlife (Aug. 15 to Aug. 22)
Cygni: All Guns Blazing; DNF Duel (Aug. 8 to Aug. 15)
Lumbearjack (Aug. 1 to Aug. 8)
F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch; Olympics Go! Paris 2024 Exclusive Outfits Pack (July 25 to Aug. 1)
Maid of Sker; Arcade Paradise (July 18 to July 25)
Floppy Knights (July 11 to July 18)
The Falconeer (July 4 to July 11)
Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition (June 27 to July 4)
Rumble Club Free Game of the Week Bonus; Freshly Frosted (June 20 to June 27)
Redout 2; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 13 to June 20)
Marvel’s Midnight Suns (June 6 to June 13)
Chivalry 2 (May 30 to June 6)
Farming Simulator 22 (May 23 to May 30)
Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition (May 16 to May 23)
Firestone Free Offer; Circus Electrique (May 9 to May 16)
Orcs Must Die! 3, Cat Quest II (May 2 to May 9)
Lisa: Definitive Edition, Industria (April 25 to May. 2)
Town of Salem 2; The Big Con (April 18 to April 25)
Ghostrunner (April 11 to April 18)
Thief; The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (April 4 to April 11)
Islets (March 28 to April 4)
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve; Call of the Wild: The Angler (March 21 to March 28)
The Bridge; Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (March 14 to March 21)
Astro Duel 2 (March 7 to March 14)
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield (Feb. 29 to March 7)
Super Meat Boy Forever (Feb. 22 to Feb. 29)
Dakar Desert Rally (Feb. 15 to Feb. 22)
Lost Castle; Doki Doki Literature Club Plus (Feb. 8 to Feb. 15)
Doors: Paradox (Feb. 1 to Feb. 8)
Infinifactory (Jan. 25 to Feb. 1)
Love (Jan. 18 to Jan. 25)
Sail Forth (Jan. 11 to Jan. 18)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Jan. 4 to Jan. 11)
A Plague Tale: Innocence (Jan. 3 to Jan. 4)
20 Minutes Till Dawn (Jan. 2 to Jan. 3)
Escape Academy (Jan. 1 to Jan. 2)

Epic Games Store free games of 2023

Ghostrunner (Dec. 31, 2023, to Jan. 1, 2024)
Saints Row (Dec. 30 to Dec. 31)
Snakebird Complete (Dec. 29 to Dec. 30)
Cat Quest (Dec. 28 to Dec. 29)
Cursed to Golf (Dec. 27 to Dec. 28)
Human Resource Machine (Dec. 26 to Dec. 27)
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Dec. 25 to Dec. 26)
Ghostwire: Tokyo (Dec. 24 to Dec. 25)
Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (Dec. 23 to Dec. 24)
Art of Rally (Dec. 22 to Dec. 23)
Melvor Idle (Dec. 21 to Dec. 22)
DNF Duel (Dec. 20 to Dec. 21)
Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (Dec. 13 to Dec. 20)
Predecessor, Gigabash (Dec. 7 to Dec.13)
Mighty Fight Federation; Jitsu Squad (Nov. 30 to Dec. 7)
Deliver Us Mars (Nov. 23 to Nov. 30)
Surviving the Aftermath, Earthlock (Nov. 16 to Nov. 23)
Golden Light (Nov. 9 to Nov. 16)
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Nov. 2 to Nov. 9)
The Evil Within 2; Tandem: A Tale of Shadows (Oct. 26 to Nov. 2)
The Evil Within; Eternal Threads (Oct. 19 to Oct. 26)
Q.U.B.E. Ultimate Bundle; Blazing Sails (Oct. 12 to Oct. 19)
Godlike Burger (Oct. 5 to Oct. 12)
Soulstice; Model Builder (Sept. 28 to Oct. 5)
The Forest Quartet; Out of Line (Sept. 21 to Sept. 28)
911 Operator (Sept. 14 to Sept. 21)
Spelldrifter (Sept. 7 to Sept. 14)
Cave Story Plus (Aug. 31 to Sept. 7)
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (Aug. 24 to Aug. 31)
Dodo Peak; Black Book (Aug. 17 to Aug. 24)
Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You; Europa Universalis IV (Aug. 10 to Aug.17)
Loop Hero, Bloons TD 6 (Aug. 3 to Aug. 10)
Severed Steel; Homeworld Remastered Collection (July 27 to Aug. 3)
The Elder Scrolls Online; Murder by Numbers (July 20 to July 27)
Train Valley 2 (July 13 to July 20)
Grime (July 6 to July 13)
The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (June 29 to July 6)
The Hunter: Call of the Wild; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 22 to June 29)
Guacamelee 2; Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition (June 15 to June 22)
Payday 2 (June 8 to June 15)
Midnight Ghost Hunt (June 1 to June 8)
Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition (May 25 to June 1)
Death Stranding (May 18 to May 25)
The Sims 4 The Daring Lifestyle Bundle (May 11 to May 18)
Kao the Kangaroo; Horizon Chase Turbo, Against All Odds (May 4 to May 11)
Poker Club; Breathedge (April 27 to May 4)
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna); Beyond Blue (April 20 to April 27)
Second Extinction; Mordhau (April 13 to April 20)
Shapez; Dying Light: The Following — Enhanced Edition (April 6 to April 13)
Tunche; The Silent Age (March 30 to April 6)
World of Warships Starter Pack: Ishizuchi; Chess Ultra (March 23 to March 30)
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius — Relics of War (March 16 to March 23)
Call of the Sea (March 9 to March 16)
Rise of Industry (March 2 to March 9)
Duskers (Feb. 23 to March 2)
Warpips (Feb. 16 to Feb. 23)
Recipe for Disaster (Feb. 9 to Feb. 16)
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider; City of Gangsters (Feb. 2 to Feb. 9)
Hell Is Others, Adios (Jan. 26 to Feb. 2)
Epistory: Typing Chronicles (Jan. 19 to Jan. 26)
Gamedec: Definitive Edition; First Class Trouble; Divine Knockout (Jan. 12 to Jan. 19)
Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice; Kerbal Space Program (Jan. 5 to Jan. 12)

Epic Games Store free games of 2022

Eximus: Seize the Frontline; Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Dec. 29, 2022, to Jan. 5, 2023)

Epic Store free games FAQ

What do I need to do to get free Epic Store games?

To get free games from the Epic Store each week, you must sign up and make an account.

To register as a user for the Epic Store, first head to the Epic Games website. At the top right-hand corner, click the Sign In button and then Create Account at the bottom of the page.

Can I play the free Epic Store games on Steam?

The Epic Store is different to Steam, so the games that you own on the Epic Store will not be available to play on Steam. If you want to play the free games you’ve downloaded from the Epic Store, you must play them via Epic’s launcher.

Technologies

Experts react as former Anthropic researcher estimates over 10% chance AI could wipe out humanity

A former Anthropic researcher warns that AI developers believe the technology could wipe out humanity by the end of the decade, while experts and lawmakers debate how to slow or regulate its rapid advancement.

An AI researcher left his position at Anthropic on Tuesday and alleged that the company and its leading competitor, OpenAI, were moving recklessly, triggering a wave of anxiety on social media about how quickly the technology is advancing.

Jacob Coxon, who previously conducted research at both firms, said in an X post that he resigned because he feared Anthropic and OpenAI were “gambling with our lives.” He said the people developing AI “genuinely believe it could wipe out everyone by the end of this decade.”

“Do not underestimate the power of this technology,” Coxon wrote. “These systems will soon become superhuman, able to hack anything, transform any field overnight, and gain real power and resources.”

Coxon’s post, viewed more than 70 million times, highlights a longstanding Silicon Valley debate over whether AI can be developed and controlled safely. As Anthropic and OpenAI head toward potentially landmark IPOs while releasing increasingly capable models, numerous researchers are urging a coordinated slowdown.

OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki warned in a Sunday blog post that no AI company had “solved alignment and monitoring sufficiently to keep scaling at maximum speed responsibly for much longer.” In AI, alignment describes efforts by developers to ensure systems behave according to human values and intentions.

“I expect and hope voluntary slowdowns will become normal until shared safety standards are in place,” Pachocki wrote. “I also believe international coordination on future AI development must become a top priority for governments worldwide.”

Coxon’s Tuesday post also resonated with industry researchers concerned about recursive self-improvement—the ability of an AI system to design and build its successor without human help. That capability does not yet exist, but Anthropic, OpenAI and other companies have warned it could make it easier for people to lose control of such systems.

“Neither company is acting responsibly,” Coxon wrote. “They are racing directly toward self-improving superintelligence.”

Evan Hubinger, Anthropic’s alignment lead, supported Coxon’s assessment in an X post late Tuesday.

“Jacob is right—we genuinely believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think there is a greater than 10% chance within the next decade,” Hubinger wrote. “I believe Anthropic is doing its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence, and we are not clearly on track to do so.”

Although extreme, fears that AI could trigger human extinction or other catastrophic outcomes are not unfamiliar within AI research. In 2023, leading AI researchers and executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, signed a statement saying “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

Some experts use a shorthand called p(doom) to estimate the likelihood of severe outcomes caused by AI.

Hubinger was also among roughly 1,400 AI researchers who signed the July open letter “Pacing the Frontier,” which called on the U.S. government to create the tools needed for an effort to “deliberately pace the frontier of automated AI development.”

Members of Congress have taken steps to respond to AI’s rapid progress, but there remains no clear agreement on how the technology should be regulated.

In July, Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., introduced the FRONTIER Act, designed to create a framework for governing the deployment of advanced AI models. Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would temporarily halt advanced AI development until federal safety rules are established. Both proposals have received mixed reactions.

“Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are breaking out of their labs, and companies are racing ahead anyway,” Trahan wrote on X Wednesday. “It’s past time for Congress to get off the sidelines and do its job.”

Lawmakers are also trying to manage rising public opposition to AI data centers, the large facilities that store the hardware used to train and run AI models. The backlash has intensified so much that the National Republican Senatorial Committee, or NRSC, said last month data centers have become a “sleeper issue” for the entire midterm election cycle, as Verum previously reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that AI companies have done a “horrendous job of explaining themselves to the American people.”

“They’re going to have to take some of the blame, and they are going to have to convince the American people that all the benefits will not accrue to a small group,” Bessent said after the G20 meetings with finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina. “That’s what they hear from me.”

Technologies

Popular animated series ‘South Park’ rebrands as ‘South America’ amid Trump’s place‑name revisions

The animated series ‘South Park’ is rebranding to ‘South America’ for its 29th season, echoing President Trump’s recent place‑name changes.

Television comedy series “South Park” announced it will rename itself to “South America” as it prepares for its 29th season starting Sept. 16.

The show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said, “Inspired by Apple and Google’s bravery and patriotism, we are renaming South Park to SOUTH AMERICA and thank our parent company Paramount, a Skydance Capitulation.”

This follows President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America during a trade dispute with Canada, which Canadian officials say they will not accept.

Apple and Google updated their map apps so U.S. users see “Lake America” while Canadians still see “Lake Ontario”.

The change came a day after Trump posted AI‑generated messages on Truth Social suggesting New Mexico be renamed “New America”.

Last year, Trump used an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, sparking international opposition.

“South Park” earned an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for the “Sermon on the Mount” episode that debuted last year and satirizes Trump’s presidency.

The “Skydance Capitulation” reference stems from the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance, approved by the FCC after Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit brought by Trump.

Trump claimed an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” in 2024 with then‑candidate Kamala Harris was misleadingly edited.

Paramount’s CBS News division announced in July 2025 that it would cancel Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” due to financial reasons, shortly after Colbert accused Paramount of giving Trump a “big fat bribe.” The final episode aired in May.

Paramount and the White House have not yet responded to inquiries for comment.

Technologies

Trump asserts no regret over initiating Iran conflict while U.S. intensifies economic sanctions

Trump insists he has no regret over launching the Iran conflict, warning that a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten Israel and U.S. cities, while the administration ramps up economic sanctions targeting major banks in Egypt and Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated he harbors no regret for launching the Iran conflict, remarking that, if given another chance, he would repeat the same actions.

During a Thursday interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said he would have proceeded with an attack on Iran even if it jeopardized the upcoming midterm elections.

Ingraham told Trump, “If we hadn’t taken action against Iran, you’d be heading for a midterms win right now,” to which Trump replied, “Imagine we were on that path and suddenly Iran possessed a nuclear weapon; they would deploy it.”

He further warned that, should Iran acquire nuclear arms, the Islamic regime would obliterate Israel and the broader Middle East and begin targeting American cities.

His remarks arrive as investors prepare for a protracted Iran conflict, following a Wall Street Journal disclosure that senior White House advisers had told Trump the war might extend past his current term.

Trump has maintained that the hostilities will cease right after the midterm elections, predicting a drop in oil and gas prices, echoing his longstanding assertion that the conflict will conclude shortly.

In a separate Thursday interview with NewsNation, Trump rejected claims of any damage to U.S. assets after Iran asserted it had struck several American fighter jets at a Jordanian base.

“No damage. Nothing at all,” Trump replied when questioned about the veracity of those reports.

Mounting economic pressure

Washington persists in its drive to sever Iran’s economic ties, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating that sanctions will be imposed on a major bank early next week.

“We’ll act on Monday to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11, so keep an eye out for updates then,” Bessent remarked on “Real America’s Voice.”

Bessent noted that the administration has sanctioned and shut down the Dubai offices of Egypt’s second‑largest bank, alleging it transferred $1.8 billion to Iran. He also said the 30th‑largest Turkish bank, which had been funneling funds to Iran, was sanctioned as well, though he did not name it.

Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on Turkey’s Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi (Golden Global Bank) and its subsidiaries.

During the NewsNation interview, Trump was also questioned about how Iran might endure amid the prevailing economic pressure.

“I doubt they can withstand it,” Trump said. “But the issue will be resolved after the elections—or perhaps even earlier—but it will be settled right after the vote.

Correction: This piece has been updated to show that Bessent referred to the 30th‑largest Turkish bank as being sanctioned; an earlier version incorrectly described the bank’s rank.