Trump Urges Europe to Halt Immigration and Demands Respect for His Vision at U.N.

President Donald Trump used his first speech at the United Nations General Assembly since beginning a second term to press European leaders to curb immigration, reject globalism, and defend a unilateral American approach to foreign policy. In a broad, grievance-filled address, he warned that immigration posed an existential threat to European economies and cultures and suggested that only his leadership could restore order. “Your countries are being ruined,” he told a hall filled with presidents, prime ministers and monarchs. He argued that it was time to end the “failed experiment of open borders” and implicitly urged European governments to follow a more restrictive course on migration. He also took aim at London’s leadership, arguing that a more permissive approach to migration had contributed to changes in major cities. “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it's been changed, it's been so changed,” he said, referring to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, in language that underscored his broader critique of liberal immigration policies.

Trump framed the United Nations as a body long enabled by Western support but increasingly inconsistent with the priorities of its member states. He contended that the UN funds “an assault on Western countries and their borders,” and he asserted that the institution should focus on stopping invasions rather than facilitating them. The remarks extended a longstanding pattern in which Trump has challenged multilateralism and questioned the relevance of the UN to U.S. interests. He recalled his own skepticism about global institutions and cited his decisions to withhold funding and withdraw from several international bodies as proof that Washington would not be bound by what he casts as ineffective diplomacy.

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” he asked, suggesting the body has great potential but has not lived up to it. He joked about a long-standing effort to renovate the UN complex, lamenting what he described as a less grand replacement, and quipped about the escalator and teleprompter malfunctions that punctuated his appearance. The opening moments of the session also featured a conference-wide appeal for unity from Annalena Baerbock, the assembly’s president, who urged delegates not to be disheartened by the institution’s shortcomings.

On policy, Trump pressed European nations to taper immigration and criticized what he called a broader “green energy scam.” He warned of a “double-tailed monster” born from immigration and climate policy and argued that such policies threaten European stability and prosperity. He described climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world” and dismissed the scientific consensus as a hoax advanced by “people with evil intentions.” He asserted that he had “ended seven wars” and suggested he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize, stating that the true measure would be the safety of future generations rather than accolades.

The remarks came amid ongoing global tensions and a backdrop of competing narratives about how to resolve conflicts. In a nearby event in New York City on Monday, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo said fighting with Rwanda had continued despite a Trump-brokered accord, highlighting the limits of diplomacy on the ground and offering a reminder of the complexities that exist beyond the UN’s walls. Acknowledging such realities, Trump argued that the United Nations often speaks in “really strongly worded letters” rather than taking decisive action and reiterated his preference for concrete moves that he said would deter aggression and reduce migration pressures.

Trump also weighed in on two protracted conflicts that dominate the assembly’s docket. On Gaza, he criticized international efforts to recognize Palestinian statehood, warning that such a move could reward Hamas and jeopardize Israeli hostages. “The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists,” he said, insisting that all Israeli hostages must be freed. On Ukraine, he criticized European governments for continuing to purchase Russian oil and gas, arguing that Europe’s energy purchases funded Moscow’s war. He warned of imposing a “very strong round of powerful tariffs” on Russia and urged Europe to “step it up” and cease energy purchases from Moscow immediately.

Throughout the address, Trump framed American leadership as essential to shaping a safer, more prosperous world. He spoke of a renewed era of U.S. strength and offered a concise invitation to other nations to join a vision built on national sovereignty, robust borders, and a transactional approach to security and trade. The speech underscored a central tenet of his second-term rhetoric: that Western nations must recalibrate their relationships with international institutions and prioritize their own citizens over global agendas, while still seeking compatible partners who share a common interest in limiting immigration and preserving national identities.