UNITED NATIONS — President Donald Trump used his address to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly to decry the state of the organization and detail his vision for a new world order.
Acting as a metaphor for the U.N. as a whole, Trump complained that he was met with a broken escalator and a malfunctioning teleprompter, before tearing apart the organization itself over the course of an hour. He compared the failures of the U.N. with his own domestic accomplishments, including immigration and the economy, and his foreign policy achievements.
“Six years have passed since I last stood in this grand hall and addressed a world that was prosperous and at peace in my first term,” Trump told the U.N.’s annual leaders summit on Tuesday. “Since that day, the guns of war have shattered the peace I forged on two continents,” he said, referencing the Russia–Ukraine and Israel–Hamas conflicts.
To that end, Trump asked the crowd what the purpose of the U.N. is, contending that it “has such tremendous potential” but that “it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
“For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a strongly worded letter and never follow that letter up,” he said. “It’s empty words, and empty words do not solve war. The only thing that solves war is action.”
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Trump escalated his criticism, claiming that not only did he not receive a phone call from the U.N. as he tried to negotiate peace deals, but that the organization “is actually creating new problems,” particularly regarding immigration.
“All I got from the U.N. was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle and a teleprompter that didn’t work,” he said. “The best example is the No. 1 political issue of our time — the crisis of uncontrolled migration. Your countries are being ruined. The U.N. is funding an assault on Western countries.”
Trump, who also said, “Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize,” acknowledged the foreign policy challenges posed by the likes of Israel, Gaza, Russia, and Ukraine, in addition to Iran and Venezuela. At the same time, he underscored a new dynamic between the United States, Europe, and China.
Of Iran, Trump repeated that his position “is very simple: the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror can never be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon.”
Then, of Israel and Hamas, Trump reiterated that the terrorist organization should reduce its demands and instead release its remaining hostages “now.”
Regarding Russia and Ukraine, Trump criticized China and India as “the primary funders” of the war because they continue to rely on Russian energy before alleging that NATO allies are “funding the war against themselves” through similar oil purchases.
“In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs,” he said. “But for those tariffs to be effective, European nations would have to join us in adopting the exact same measures.”
Trump had a particularly stark warning for Europe, again regarding immigration, asserting London Mayor Sadiq Khan, for example, wanted introduce Sharia law into his city to murmurs from the audience.
“It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now,” he said. “I can tell you. I’m really good at this stuff — your countries are going to hell.”
A senior diplomat, who made a quip about the U.N. headquarters building, particularly its issues regarding air conditioning, told the Washington Examiner it was “great” that Trump “recognizes the potential of the U.N.”
“He mentioned Europe multiple times,” the source said. “This I take as an evidence that the U.S. is ready to engage with its closest ally. There are things we [have] already done like a trade deal. There are things where the E.U. moved much faster on support for Ukraine and sanctions.”
Likewise, during his bilateral meeting with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, Trump appeared to temper his address, telling the diplomat the U.S. is behind the U.N. “100 percent.”
“I think the potential of the United Nations is incredible. Really incredible. It can do so much. I’m behind it. I may disagree with it some times, but I am so behind it,” he said. “The potential for peace with this institution is so great. So I just want to thank you for treating us so lovely.”
During his address, before he scrutinized climate change and renewable energy policies as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” Trump announced that his administration would “lead an international effort to enforce [the] Biological Weapons Convention, which is going to be meeting with the top leaders of the world by pioneering an [artificial intelligence] verification system that everyone can trust.”
“I’m really good at predicting things,” he said. “During the campaign, they had a hat, a bestselling hat, ‘Trump was right about everything.’ And I don’t say that in a braggadocious way, but it’s true. I’ve been right about everything.”
At the start of the address, Trump seemed to enjoy a warm welcome, mentioning that the teleprompter was not working for his remarks as first lady Melania Trump, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, newly confirmed U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz, and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff watched on.
“Whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he said to laughs.
During his own address to the U.N. General Assembly, Guterres bemoaned decreases in foreign aid funding as “wreaking havoc” on advancements made since the U.N. was established 80 years ago.
“They are a death sentence for many,” he said. “For so many more, a stolen future. This is the great paradox of our time. We have the solutions, but we are siphoning off the fuel that would make it possible to make progress. To choose dignity, we must choose financial justice and solidarity. We need to reform the international financial architecture so it drives development for all.”
Trump and the first lady arrived together on Tuesday at the U.N. headquarters, where they were greeted by U.N. officials and interested onlookers alike at the delegate entrance. Some observers waved to Trump, with the president responding with fist pumps after having to walk up the escalator that was not working.
Trump is expected to meet with Guterres and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his address and take part in a multilateral sit-down with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.
“After these important meetings, the president will attend a reception tomorrow night with more than 100 world leaders before returning to Washington, D.C.,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.
FRANCE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES PALESTINIAN STATE IN OPENING OF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The U.N. General Assembly’s High-Level Week opened on Monday with a special conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on “the peaceful settlement and the implementation of the two-state solution,” during which France announced its formal recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“I declare that today France recognizes the State of Palestine,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “The recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people takes nothing away from the rights of the people of Israel, who France supported from Day One and to the respect of which it is staunchly committed.”