US President Donald Trump delivered a blistering attack on the United Nations and European nations during his first UN General Assembly appearance since returning to the White House.
Speaking for nearly an hour, Trump warned that Western countries were “going to hell” due to migration and dismissed climate change as a “con job.”
Trump criticized the UN for failing to assist in his efforts to broker peace in Gaza and Ukraine, questioning the purpose of the organization.
“It has such tremendous potential but it’s not even coming close to living up to that,” he said.
In his speech, Trump also lambasted European nations for what he described as an invasion fueled by migration. “Your countries are going to hell,” he told European leaders.
He accused the UN of only issuing strongly worded letters, which he argued were ineffective in resolving conflicts.
On Ukraine, Trump urged NATO nations to shoot down Russian planes violating their airspace. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit, marking their second meeting since August, when Trump held a summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump further condemned international recognition of a Palestinian state by countries including France and Britain, describing it as a “reward” to Hamas following attacks on Israel.
On climate change, he reaffirmed his stance, calling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” while pushing for increased oil drilling and the rollback of green policies.
Trump’s second term has emphasized nationalist policies, including pulling the US out of the World Health Organization and the UN climate pact, reducing foreign aid, and imposing sanctions on foreign judges over perceived violations of US sovereignty.
Opening the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that US-led aid cuts were causing global disruption.
After meeting Guterres, Trump hinted at a need for new leadership at the UN, saying, “The UN could be unbelievable with certain people running it.”
