Trump rips UN's 'empty words,' warns Europe is 'going to hell' in fiery UN General Assembly address
President denounces the United Nations, calls for border controls and a rethink of energy policy as he meets world leaders at the UN.
NEW YORK - President Donald Trump delivered a fiery address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, saying the United Nations has 'empty words' and urging world leaders to do more to resolve conflicts. He highlighted his record on border control and his efforts to broker peace in Israel, Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan, arguing the UN did not step in to help.
'What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential. I’ve always said it, it has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up,' the president said. 'It’s empty words, and empty words don’t solve war.' He then issued a dire warning for European countries to halt immigration and lambasted the continent's energy policies, saying Europe is in serious trouble. He urged nations to end the failed experiment of open borders and argued that Western cultures face ongoing challenges.
Trump blamed the UN for driving illegal migration to the U.S. and other Western nations, citing that 'In 2024, the UN budgeted $372 million in cash assistance to support an estimated 624,000 migrants journeying into the United States. Think of that,' he continued. 'The UN is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and then we have to get them out. The UN also provided food, shelter, transportation and debit cards to illegal aliens.'
As he prepared to address the General Assembly, the escalator carrying him and first lady Melania Trump stopped mid-ride, and the teleprompter faltered as soon as he began. 'All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up, stopped right in the middle,' he quipped. 'These are the two things I got from the United Nations, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.'
Despite the sharp tone, the room's reaction was muted, though leaders lined up to speak after him. Trump said he spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva backstage and that the two would meet next week. He also said he expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky among others at the UN on Tuesday.
Observers noted the remarks fit into Trump's broader political narrative as he pushes immigration and border-security issues while casting doubt on multilateral institutions. The speech capped a day marked by high-profile meetings and a complicated start, as Trump prepared to meet Zelensky and other world leaders during the session.
