“Whoever’s in charge of the teleprompter is in trouble,” Donald Trump quipped from the lectern at the United Nations General Assembly, drawing a chuckle as the screen in front of him blinked blankly. The levity didn’t last. For the next hour, Trump delivered a speech that blended campaign-style hyperbole about his own achievements, sharp criticism of the UN, and stark warnings to fellow leaders that “your countries are going to hell.”
Immigration dominated the opening moments. Trump praised El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele for keeping US deportees in “terrorist prisons” and warned that nations failing to control their borders risk being “ruined” by uncontrolled migration. He also accused the UN of incentivizing and funding illegal immigration worldwide.
Turning to broader global issues, Trump claimed credit for ending or defusing seven conflicts—from the war between Israel and Iran, to fighting in Armenia and Azerbaijan—arguing that U.S. leadership resolves disputes more effectively than multilateral institutions. “Sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help,” he said, questioning the body’s ability to act decisively on global crises. On Gaza, he demanded the release of hostages and denounced countries recognizing Palestinian statehood as “rewarding Hamas.” On Ukraine, he criticized Europe for continuing to buy Russian oil while calling for an end to the war. He highlighted US attacks on drug-trafficking boats from Venezuela and threatened to “blow them out of existence” if they attempted to move narcotics into the US.
The day had begun with Secretary General António Guterres, who opened the session by cautioning that the UN’s founding principles are “under siege.” Trump’s appearance only underscored that warning as the leader of the world’s most powerful nation lambasted the organization. Guterres and Trump are set to meet face to face later this week.
