President Donald Trump delivered a combative address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, criticizing the UN for failing to solve global conflicts and immigration crises, while denouncing climate change initiatives as a "con job" and urging nations to reject international environmental agreements.
The U.S President also highlighting technical issues like a malfunctioning teleprompter and escalator in the UN building in New York City.
Trump said the UN was ineffective, saying it offered only "empty words" and "really strongly worded letters" that "don’t solve war," and accused it of creating new problems, particularly regarding uncontrolled migration, which he said was "ruining" nations; and called on leaders to model the U.S. approach to border security. He also berated European leaders for inaction on immigration, declaring "Your countries are going to hell," and warned that policies promoting wind energy and global warming mitigation were destroying the free world.
The President asserted that he had ended seven wars without any support from the UN, lamenting that he never received a phone call from the organization offering help to finalize peace deals. He criticized the UN for its stance on climate change, calling it "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world" and claiming international agreements were "destroying" industrialized nations while developing countries continued to pollute.
Trump urged countries to purchase energy from the U.S. and rejected the globalist concept of asking successful nations to sacrifice their economies for climate goals, vowing America would no longer "sacrifice" to shift away from carbon-based energy.
The US president also criticized European nations for failing to respond to what he described as threats to their heritage, including a claim that London mayor Sadiq Khan wanted to implement Sharia law.
Trump rejected international calls for a Palestinian state, urging European nations to adopt economic measures similar to those used against Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Despite his harsh rhetoric, Trump expressed support for the UN's potential, saying, "It can do so much. I’m behind it," in a more conciliatory moment with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The speech, which lasted nearly an hour, was longer than the usual allotted time and included a mix of boasts about his administration's actions, warnings to drug cartels, and criticism of allies like Brazil and the European Union.
Later in a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calls for investigation after the UN escalator failure as Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on.
This comes as reports surfaced, that UN staff members had previously "joked" about turning off the escalator.
To mark Trump’s arrival, UN staff members have reportedly joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs.
"If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately," Leavitt said on X.
Meanwhile in traffic news, French President Emmanuel Macron was briefly delayed in New York City on Tuesday Monday night, when his motorcade was stopped by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to clear the way for US President Donald Trump’s convoy following Trump’s arrival for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.
In a lighthearted moment captured on video, Macron, after being informed by an officer that "everything is frozen right now" due to the presidential motorcade, called Trump directly from the street, joking, "Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you."
The incident occurred just after Macron delivered a significant speech at the UN, formally announcing France’s recognition of the State of Palestine, a move that has strained relations with Washington. Despite the delay, Macron remained composed, walking on foot to the French Embassy while engaging with the public, taking selfies and even laughing after a passerby kissed his head.
The incident took place on Manhattan streets near the UN headquarters, where strict security protocols for the US president’s visit caused a "freeze" on traffic, shutting down several blocks.
Macron’s speech at the UNGA, where he recognized Palestine, was a major diplomatic development, adding to international pressure for a two-state solution and drawing criticism from US officials, including Trump, who dismissed the move as having no real impact.
The viral video of Macron calling Trump and interacting with the public provided a rare, humanizing glimpse into the logistical challenges of high-level diplomacy, with Macron’s calm demeanor and humor receiving widespread attention.
The event occurred as part of the broader 80th anniversary of the United Nations, with world leaders gathering in New York for the high-level meeting, which also saw other nations, including Belgium and Luxembourg, announce their recognition of Palestine.
