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US President Donald Trump delivers his speech to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, United States, Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
Trump at the UN: Teleprompter trouble and tough talk
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.
