President Donald Trump delivered a fiery and wide-ranging address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the world body with a speech that was as much a campaign rally as it was a diplomatic statement. Over the course of nearly an hour—his longest speech yet at the U.N.—Trump lambasted the institution he was addressing, criticized European allies, railed against renewable energy, and doubled down on his hardline immigration policies, according to multiple reports including ABC7 Chicago, TIME, and CBS News.
From the outset, Trump’s tone was stern and combative. He wasted little time before taking aim at the U.N. itself, questioning its effectiveness and purpose. “Not only is the UN not solving the problems, it should—too often, it’s actually creating new problems for us to solve,” Trump declared, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. Moments later, he posed a rhetorical question that echoed through the assembly hall: “What is the purpose of the United Nations?”
Trump’s remarks were not limited to institutional critique. He also targeted European allies for their stances on green energy and immigration, accusing them of failing to manage what he called “uncontrolled migration.” In a line that drew both attention and criticism, Trump warned, “You have to end it now. See, I can tell you. I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.” His administration’s mass deportation efforts were held up as a model, with Trump insisting, “If you come illegally into the United States, you’re going to jail, or you’re going back to where you came from, or perhaps even further than that. You know what that means.”
Observers noted that Trump’s speech represented a significant departure from the more diplomatic tone he struck in his first U.N. address in 2017. As TIME described, the humility and calls for collaboration that once characterized Trump’s remarks were replaced by “Trump’s dark worldview about the U.N. itself, and questionable boasts about his domestic poll numbers.” The president’s focus, according to the TIME analysis, was squarely on a domestic audience, with the speech resembling a campaign event more than a traditional diplomatic engagement.
Throughout his 56-minute address, Trump touched on a dizzying array of topics. He mocked climate science and denigrated renewable energy initiatives, instead praising “clean, beautiful coal.” He bragged about military operations, including the bombing of two boats allegedly carrying drugs, bluntly warning, “We will blow you out of existence.” At one point, he even lamented the U.N.’s decision years ago not to accept his bid to renovate its headquarters, quipping about getting stuck on the building’s escalator—a moment that drew both laughter and groans from the audience.
Despite the combative rhetoric, Trump insisted during a later meeting with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres that “Our country is behind the United Nations 100%.” He added, “I may disagree with it sometimes but I am so behind it because I think the potential for peace for this institution is so great.” Guterres, in turn, thanked Trump for his global travels aimed at brokering peace agreements and assured him of the U.N.’s willingness to work together for a just peace, as reported by CBS News.
The president’s schedule in New York was packed with high-profile meetings. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed his belief that Ukraine could win back all its territory from Russia “in its original form,” provided there was sufficient European support. Trump’s stance appeared to shift from earlier suggestions that land swaps might be necessary—a change that did not go unnoticed by observers. “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” Trump wrote on social media after the meeting, according to CBS News.
In a bilateral session with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump praised Macron’s efforts to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Macron echoed Trump’s optimism, agreeing that Ukraine could regain its land. Trump also publicly endorsed Argentina’s President Javier Milei for a second term, lauding his leadership and dismissing the need for a U.S.-backed financial bailout for Argentina. “To the people of Argentina, we’re backing him 100%,” Trump said. “He’s done a fantastic job.”
One of the most consequential meetings of the day was with leaders from the Middle East, including representatives from Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. Trump called it his “most important meeting,” focused on efforts to end the war in Gaza. “We want to end the war in Gaza. We’re going to end it,” he said, expressing hope that peace could be achieved swiftly. Notably, representatives for the Israelis and Palestinians were not present.
Trump’s remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict were unequivocal. He criticized Western allies’ moves to recognize a Palestinian state, arguing that such actions would embolden Hamas. “Instead of giving in to Hamas’ ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: Release the hostages now.” He called for the return of all hostages and the bodies of those killed, emphasizing the suffering of families affected by the conflict.
On the topic of global security, Trump advocated for an end to the development of biological and nuclear weapons, warning of their catastrophic potential. “If we ever use them, the world literally might come to an end. There would be no United Nations to be talking about. There would be no nothing.” He pledged to lead an international effort to halt the manufacture of such weapons, including pioneering AI verification systems.
Trump’s approach to U.S. foreign policy continues to be characterized by unilateralism and skepticism of multilateral institutions. Under his administration, the U.S. has withdrawn from several U.N. agencies, including the Human Rights Council, and reduced its financial contributions. Yet, as Craig Kafura of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs noted, “It’s not that every president is a huge fan of the United Nations or multilateralism, internationalism. But this seems to take it to another level.”
Political scientists and diplomats observed that while Trump’s rhetoric was unsurprising to world leaders familiar with his style, it nonetheless signaled a further retreat from the internationalist posture that the U.S. adopted in the aftermath of World War II. Stephen Maynard Caliendo, a professor of political science at North Central College, remarked, “I think world leaders are used to the way Trump talks. I don’t think anybody was surprised by it. It doesn’t mean they accept it any better than they would, but I don’t think there was shock in the room.”
As the U.N. General Assembly convened for its milestone anniversary, the contrast between the institution’s founding ideals and the tenor of the U.S. president’s address could hardly have been starker. Whether Trump’s blunt talk will yield diplomatic breakthroughs or further strain international relations remains an open question, but one thing is clear: his presence on the world stage continues to provoke strong reactions, both at home and abroad.