President Donald Trump delivered a critical speech at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing the organization of providing only “empty words” and failing to support his diplomatic efforts to resolve global conflicts. He asserted that the UN has been complicit in funding illegal migration and has not effectively contributed to his initiatives to end wars worldwide.
In a departure from calls for international unity, Trump mentioned a malfunctioning escalator that hindered First Lady Melania Trump earlier that day, as well as issues with his teleprompter during his address. He also reiterated a grievance from two decades ago regarding the rejection of his proposal to renovate the UN headquarters.
“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,” Trump stated. He quipped, “These are the two things I got from the United Nations — a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter, thank you very much.”
Trump proceeded to accuse the UN of facilitating an “assault on Western countries and their borders” by providing aid to migrants. He declared, “The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them, and not finance them.” He further emphasized that the U.S. rejects allowing large numbers of individuals from abroad to breach its borders, claiming such actions lead to crime and burden the social safety net.
“We have reasserted that America belongs to the American people, and I encourage all countries to take their own stand in defense of their citizens as well,” Trump added.
While focusing on what he identified as domestic achievements, including lowering inflation and raising wages, Trump also stated that immigration is damaging other nations and called the U.S. the “hottest country in the world.” He reiterated his claim of having resolved seven conflicts globally.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” he questioned. “At least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up? It’s empty words, and empty words don’t solve war. The only thing that solves war and wars is action.”
Trump’s confrontational stance has raised tensions with other UN member states, as he has exhibited a disregard for the organization. He has withdrawn the U.S. from several bodies, including UNESCO and the Human Rights Council, and previously exited the World Health Organization. He has also rejected key UN goals, such as climate change initiatives and the protection of asylum seekers.
Under Trump’s administration, the U.S. has largely halted payments to the United Nations, accumulating outstanding dues for 2024, according to UN reports. Furthermore, his administration has implemented a more restrictive visa policy, barring Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from attending the current General Assembly session and imposing new restrictions on Iranian diplomats.
