U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a blistering address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, lashing out at world leaders over immigration, climate policies, and global conflicts. In a 56-minute speech that drew polite but restrained applause, Trump accused other nations of undermining their own stability and declared bluntly: “Your countries are going to hell.”
Much of his address centered on two of his most familiar grievances—migration and climate change. Trump held up his own administration’s strict immigration crackdown as a model for other countries, warning that mass migration was eroding national identity. At the same time, he dismissed scientific consensus on global warming, labeling climate change a “con job” and urging a renewed embrace of fossil fuels. “Immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe,” he said.
The U.S. president also sharpened his stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine, threatening sweeping new tariffs if Moscow refuses to negotiate an end to the conflict. Trump criticized NATO allies for continuing to buy Russian oil, accusing them of “funding the war against themselves.” He urged European leaders to align fully with Washington’s approach, hinting at sanctions even on countries such as India and China if they maintain close trade with Russia.
Trump later held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who pushed for greater U.S. military and diplomatic backing. When asked whether NATO should shoot down Russian aircraft violating allied airspace, Trump responded bluntly: “Yes, I do.”
Turning to the Middle East, Trump rejected international efforts to advance a Palestinian state, arguing it would unfairly reward Hamas after its recent attacks on Israel. Instead, he called for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal to secure the release of all captives from Gaza. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to immediately negotiate peace,” he said, adding that he would meet Gulf leaders later in the day to discuss Gaza’s future.
The speech, though focused on policy, was peppered with personal complaints. Trump joked that his main experience of the U.N. was a broken escalator that nearly caused an accident for former first lady Melania Trump, as well as a malfunctioning teleprompter. “These are the two things I got from the United Nations—a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,” he quipped.
His combative tone underscored a broader rejection of international cooperation, echoing his first term in office when he routinely clashed with the United Nations. European powers, who only months ago sought to repair relations with Washington, were left grappling with his threats of tariffs and sanctions.
Trump’s remarks highlight his continued effort to position himself as a disruptor on the global stage—dismissing climate science, railing against migration, and threatening economic penalties for allies and adversaries alike. For many world leaders, the speech reaffirmed that Trump’s second term would mark not a return to global consensus, but a deepening of his confrontational, go-it-alone approach to international politics.
