Trump to attack 'globalist institutions' at UN, touts foreign policy record
President uses UN General Assembly to defend a second-term foreign policy while criticizing multilateral bodies and highlighting U.S. actions abroad
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump will address the United Nations General Assembly to lay out his assessment of his second-term foreign policy and argue that globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order.
White House aides say he will highlight the renewal of American strength around the world and his effort to end several wars. The president has moved quickly to curb U.S. participation in intergovernmental organizations, having withdrawn from the World Health Organization on his first day and exiting the UN Human Rights Council, and directing reviews of hundreds of intergovernmental organizations to determine if they align with his America First agenda.
The remarks come at a moment when the United Nations faces volatility from wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and as leaders weigh the economic and social implications of emerging artificial intelligence technologies. Trump has already used limited military action, ordering airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June and conducting strikes in September on boats tied to drug smuggling in the Caribbean; U.S. officials said the latter actions targeted illicit trafficking networks and were not intended to alter regime dynamics in Venezuela. The strikes have fueled speculation in Caracas about whether Washington is aiming to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Some lawmakers and human rights advocates say that the use of U.S. forces to lethally target alleged drug smugglers could be viewed as extrajudicial killings rather than interdiction and prosecution in U.S. courts.
Anjali K. Dayal, a professor of international politics at Fordham University in New York, described the UN system as extremely stressed, noting the breadth of crises facing the world body as it celebrates its 80th year.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would tout the renewal of American strength around the world and his efforts to help end several wars. She added that the president would address how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order and outline a straightforward, constructive vision for the world.
Following his speech, Trump will hold one-on-one meetings with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the leaders of Ukraine, Argentina and the European Union. He will also hold a group meeting with officials from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. He’ll return to Washington after hosting a reception Tuesday night with more than 100 invited world leaders.
Trump has struggled to deliver on his 2024 campaign promises to quickly end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His response has been relatively muted as some longtime American allies use this year’s General Assembly to spotlight the growing international campaign for recognition of a Palestinian state, a move the United States and Israel oppose. France became the latest nation to recognize Palestinian statehood on Monday at the start of a high-profile meeting at the U.N. aimed at galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the conflict. Leavitt said Trump sees the push as more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies.
Analysts say that Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize ambitions could influence the tenor of his address. Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, said the speech may reflect how deeply he believes a Nobel Prize is still within reach and how that belief could shape the tone of the UN appearance.
Despite his struggles to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the president has framed his UN address as an opportunity to present a starkly American view of international relations—one that prizes direct action and a skepticism of multilateral institutions while seeking a diplomatic path to ceasefires and hostage releases. Trump has said he would like to see progress toward a ceasefire that leads to the release of hostages held in Gaza, including 48 still believed to be alive, and he has urged negotiations that involve direct talks between adversaries where feasible. The White House has emphasized that the speech will be a cornerstone of his effort to redefine America’s role on the world stage while pressing allies to shoulder greater burdens in security and diplomacy.