United States President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday with a blistering attack on the institution, accusing it of failing to bring peace, fostering illegal migration, and ignoring global conflicts.
In a speech heavy with sarcasm, Trump dismissed the U.N. as ineffective, saying it had “such tremendous potential” but was not “coming close to living up to it.” He mocked the New York headquarters, complaining about a broken escalator and teleprompter. “These are the two things I got from the United Nations — a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,” he quipped.
Trump also accused China and India of funding Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine through continued oil purchases, while saying the war only made Moscow “look bad.” He criticized European allies for failing to halt trade with Russia but offered no specific new U.S. sanctions.
On Gaza, Trump said the recognition of a Palestinian state by some allies amounted to rewarding Hamas for “horrible atrocities,” and urged the release of hostages as a step toward peace. He warned that “open borders” were destroying Western nations and accused the U.N. of funding an “assault” through migration.
“Your countries are going to hell,” he told delegates, singling out London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a Western capital.
Trump claimed credit for ending several wars during his first term but acknowledged no progress on Ukraine or Gaza. His second administration has already seen the U.S. withdraw from the World Health Organization and the U.N. climate pact, slash development aid, and impose sanctions on foreign judges.
Opening the summit earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that U.S.-led aid cuts were “wreaking havoc” around the world, asking whether the future would be governed by “raw power” or by “laws.”
Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Argentina’s right-wing leader Javier Milei on the sidelines of the summit. The Secret Service said it had recently disrupted a “telecommunications-related” plot involving more than 100,000 weaponized SIM cards, allegedly tied to foreign state actors, that could have disrupted communications around the U.N.
Prior to his return to the UN, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump will laud “the renewal of American strength around the world” and his efforts to help end several wars.
“The president will also touch upon how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order, and he will articulate his straightforward and constructive vision for the world,” Leavitt said.
Experts say Trump appears to have done just so, and is slated to return to Washington after hosting a reception Tuesday night with more than 100 invited world leaders.