Trump slams UN, touts American strength in fiery UNGA address

President Donald Trump used his first United Nations General Assembly address of his second term to lambaste the U.N. for failing to solve global problems and, at times, for creating new ones. In a speech centered on restoration of American leadership, he framed migration as the era’s defining crisis and warned that Western countries are being harmed by what he characterized as the United Nations’ missteps. "Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, it, too often, is actually creating new problems for us to solve," Trump said, adding that uncontrolled migration is the number one political issue of the time. He asserted that many nations are being overwhelmed as people travel across borders, and he criticized what he described as U.N. support for those entering the United States illegally. "The U.N. is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders," he said, later adding that the agency provided food, shelter, transportation and debit cards to those who entered illegally. "The UN is supposed to stop invasions — not create them and not finance them." He argued that illegal immigration is also spilling over into Europe and that such outcomes are unsustainable. He contended that, in his view, detaining and deporting people who crossed into the United States effectively reduces the flow, saying, "Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border and removing illegal aliens from the United States they simply stop coming." He thanked allies such as El Salvador for cooperating on criminal justice efforts and border controls.

Trump defended his record on diplomacy, saying he had ended seven wars and brokered peace deals across multiple regions. He cited agreements involving Armenia and Azerbaijan; Thailand and Cambodia; Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among others. "I ended seven wars, and in all cases they were raging with countless, thousands of people being killed," he said, claiming that none of the deals were pursued by other leaders or organizations with similar resolve. He added that he conducted these efforts in seven months, asserting, "It’s never happened before. There’s never been anything like that." He stressed that the United Nations did not participate in or facilitate these outcomes and that, in hindsight, the organization was not there for the United States. "I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal." He framed his accomplishments as evidence of American capability and leadership, saying, "The United Nations has tremendous potential … But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. Empty words don’t solve war. The only thing that solves war is action." At the same time, Trump touted the United States as having "the strongest economy, the strongest borders, the strongest military, the strongest friendships and the strongest spirit of any nation on the face of the earth," and he described the current period as an American golden age in which the country is viewed as a premier place to do business.

Trump highlighted a series of foreign policy and security moves since taking office, including a Middle East tour aimed at rebuilding partnerships with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. He cited negotiated trade deals with major partners such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and others, and he argued that NATO members have increasingly increased defense spending to 5% of GDP at his urging. "At the NATO summit in June, virtually all NATO members formally committed to increased defense spending, at my request, from 2% to 5% of GDP, making our alliance far stronger and more powerful than it was ever before," he said. The president also framed the United States as a respected global actor again, saying that many nations are investing in America and that the partnership has yielded tangible benefits for the country’s economy.

As he balanced praise for national strength with a call for joint action, Trump urged the body to engage in a constructive role in international peace efforts. He pledged to offer what he described as the hand of American leadership and friendship to any nation willing to work with Washington toward a safer and more prosperous world, arguing that a reduced reliance on the United Nations could, in his view, ultimately produce better outcomes on issues like cyber threats, terrorism and regional wars. He warned that some members of the General Assembly are pressing to recognize a Palestinian state unilaterally, which he contended would reward Hamas for its attacks and would not lead to hostage releases or a ceasefire. "Release the hostages now," he urged, arguing that peace would be jeopardized by unilateral moves that he said undermine chances for a lasting settlement.

In addressing ongoing regional crises, Trump underscored his willingness to confront what he described as the world’s gravest threats, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He credited his administration's early approach to containing Iran as a top priority and pointed to what he described as past successes, including a pledge of full cooperation in exchange for a suspension of Iran’s nuclear program. He also cited his administration’s military actions as proof of decisive leadership, including a reference to an operation he described as responsible for degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities and a subsequent ceasefire in the region that, he claimed, Israel and Iran agreed to in principle to end fighting. He argued that such actions underscore the importance of a strong U.S. posture in the Middle East and beyond while cautioning against allowing the Global South to be drawn into ongoing conflicts.

The remarks come as Trump’s allies have pointed to a reshaped international landscape where the United States seeks to recalibrate burdens and opportunities across alliance networks, trade pacts and regional security arrangements. The speech also touched on domestic policy, with Trump asserting that the United States has achieved renewed credibility on border security and immigration enforcement, and that his administration will continue pursuing aggressive policies to manage asylum flows and illegal crossings.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.