Trump Criticizes UN During High-Level General Assembly Week

New York, USA — The 80th United Nations General Assembly kicked off on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, gathering nearly 150 world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. His address marked his first speech at the General Assembly during his second term.

While many anticipated his comments on the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Trump’s 56-minute speech focused more on immigration and climate change. He claimed that immigration ‘ruins states’ and boasted about his policies that allowed ‘zero illegal immigrants’ into the United States. ‘If you come here illegally, you end up in jail or back where you came from,’ Trump said.

Trump also blamed the United Nations for immigration issues, insisting that these problems should be resolved in migrants’ home countries. He categorized many nations as being ‘on the path to hell’ due to their governance.

In addition to immigration, Trump harshly criticized renewable energy initiatives, labeling them a ‘joke’ and dismissing climate change as a scam. He accused China of polluting the planet, claiming all Asian countries are ‘trash-ing’ it.

As for his work with the UN, he expressed skepticism about its effectiveness, stating, ‘We’ll see if anything useful comes from here,’ and lamented only receiving broken escalators and teleprompters during his time at the UN.

Trump’s comments on international relations continued with remarks on the situation between Israel and Hamas, demanding the release of hostages but failing to directly address Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Aside from Trump, Finland‘s President Alexander Stubb also addressed the assembly, emphasizing the need for reform in the UN and advocating for a more representative Security Council. His remarks received applause as he called for immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access to Gaza.

The General Assembly is expected to cover important issues, including the Middle East conflicts and Ukraine’s war, throughout the week.