Today's News: Trump Address to the UN General Assembly Criticizes Globalism, Immigration, and Climate Change
Trump also touted his own peacemaking achievements while expressing personal grievances over technical malfunctions during his appearance.
Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Overview
Date: September 23, 2025
Summary: President Donald Trump delivered a lengthy and combative speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he heavily criticized the institution’s effectiveness and globalist policies. He focused on denouncing international immigration and climate change efforts, calling them destructive to Western nations and “con jobs.” Trump also touted his own peacemaking achievements while expressing personal grievances over technical malfunctions during his appearance. His address underscored a nationalist “America First” agenda, questioning the UN’s purpose and advocating for individual nations to prioritize their own interests.
Sources
The New York Times - ‘Your Countries Are Going to Hell’: Trump Airs His Grievances at the U.N.
The Washington Post - Trump upbraids U.N. in speech, claiming ‘your countries are going to hell’
NBC News - Trump criticizes U.N. for failing to end wars and address immigration concerns
The Wall Street Journal - Trump Says Migration and Climate-Change Policies Are Destroying the West
Key Points
President Trump delivered a nearly hour-long speech at the UN General Assembly, significantly exceeding the allotted time.
He strongly criticized the United Nations, questioning its purpose and efficacy, and describing its actions as limited to “strongly worded letters” and “empty words.”
A core message was his condemnation of global immigration policies, which he claimed were “destroying a large part of the free world” and leading countries “to hell.”
Trump vehemently rejected the scientific consensus on climate change, labeling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world” and a “hoax,” while advocating for traditional energy sources over “suicidal” green energy.
He promoted his own peacemaking efforts, claiming to have ended multiple wars, and contrasted these with the UN’s perceived inaction.
Trump aired personal grievances during his speech, including a malfunctioning escalator and teleprompter at the UN.
He advocated for a nationalist “America First” approach, emphasizing national interests over a broader cooperative agenda and attacking “globalist institutions.”
His speech was received with polite applause by world leaders, a notable shift from open laughter during his first term.
Following his address, Trump held meetings with several world leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, President Javier Milei of Argentina, and Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, as well as a group of Arab and Muslim leaders.
He criticized U.S. allies for recognizing a Palestinian state, asserting that such a move would “reward” Hamas.
Trump made a significant shift in rhetoric regarding Ukraine, suggesting it was “in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back.”
The United States has been reducing its financial contributions to the UN and reviewing its role within the organization.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times reported Trump’s specific grievances about not winning a renovation contract at the UN as a real estate developer and his accusation that environmentalists want to “kill all the cows.” It also detailed his announcement of a new “A.I. verification” effort for the biological weapons convention and a warning that the U.S. military would “blow out of existence” suspected drug smugglers from Venezuela in international waters. The article uniquely noted the “stark absence of Palestinian leaders” from Trump’s meeting with Arab/Muslim countries due to denied visas for Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation.
The Washington Post highlighted Trump’s aim to dismantle two of the UN’s core issues: halting global migration and ending the fight against climate change. It provided details on the interaction between Trump and Brazil’s leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, including Lula’s criticism of the West regarding Gaza and Trump’s comment on their “excellent chemistry” for “39 seconds.” The article also quoted UN Secretary-General António Guterres describing funding cuts as “a death sentence for many” and “a stolen future.”
CNN dedicated its article to a comprehensive fact-check of Trump’s claims, specifically debunking his assertions about ending wars (e.g., Egypt and Ethiopia were not at war, India rejected his mediation with Pakistan), his poll numbers (they were down, not at an all-time high), and economic indicators like inflation, grocery prices, and electricity bills (all were worsening or increasing). It also corrected his claims about China’s wind farms and the Paris climate accord’s financial obligations.
NBC News mentioned Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb as among the leaders present for Trump’s speech. It uniquely reported Trump’s urging of European leaders to impose significant tariffs on India and China over their oil purchases to pressure Russia, and his recent comment that Russian President Vladimir Putin “really let me down” regarding the war in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal characterized Trump’s attacks on immigration and climate change as against a “double-tailed monster” threatening Western civilization and noted his address mirrored his campaign rallies, consistent in disdain for “woke” or “politically correct” leadership. It also stated the U.S. owed the U.N. around $3 billion at the end of April, making it the biggest uncollected amount by a member state.
Fox News primarily focused on the escalator malfunction, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s call for an investigation into potential intentional sabotage. The article uniquely provided the UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric’s explanation that a member of the U.S. delegation inadvertently triggered the stop mechanism by running down the escalator.
Contrasting Details
Truthfulness of Trump’s Peacemaking Claims: While The New York Times and The Washington Post reported Trump’s claims of brokering several peace agreements and ending wars, CNN extensively fact-checked these, stating that Egypt and Ethiopia were not at war, Serbia and Kosovo were not in an actual war, and the peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda did not involve all rebel groups. CNN also noted India rejected Trump’s claim of brokering its ceasefire with Pakistan, directly contradicting his assertion.
Impact of US Funding Cuts to the UN: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal all reported on the Trump administration’s significant cuts to UN funding, leading to a budget shortfall and causing severe consequences, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres (as quoted by The Washington Post) calling them “a death sentence for many” and “a stolen future.” However, The Wall Street Journal uniquely quoted Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating, “No one has died because the U.S. has cut aid, no,” and instead blamed problems on aid distribution and lack of support from other nations.
Trump’s Demeanor and Reception at the UN: The New York Times and The Washington Post both highlighted a shift in Trump’s reception at the UN General Assembly, noting that while he was openly laughed at in 2018, his recent speech was met with “polite applause” and a largely silent room, indicating a recognition that his policy shifts might be more enduring. However, The Wall Street Journal noted that Trump “softened his criticism” of the UN ahead of his meeting with Guterres, saying “our country is behind the United Nations 100 percent,” which presents a momentary contradiction to the generally combative tone reported by all sources.
Cause of the Escalator Malfunction: The New York Times reported that “The White House accused U.N. staff of potentially attempting to sabotage him.” This accusation was amplified by Fox News, which quoted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling for an investigation if the malfunction was intentional. In direct contrast, Fox News also provided the UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric’s explanation that “someone from the President’s party” inadvertently triggered the stop mechanism by running down the escalator, suggesting an accidental cause rather than sabotage.
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