Speaking before the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Trump denounced the organization as “feckless and corrupt,” accusing it of funding policies that undermine national sovereignty.

“It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders,” he told world leaders. “Your countries are going to hell.”

The U.S. president urged nations to follow his administration’s hardline approach to immigration enforcement, warning that Europe in particular is “destroying its heritage” by accepting large-scale migration.

Immigration dominated Trump’s address. He claimed that United Nations programs offering food and debit cards to migrants encourage mass movements that “ruin” host countries.

“Your countries are being ruined,” he said, directly addressing European leaders. “If you don’t stop people you’ve never seen before, that you have nothing in common with, your country is going to fail.”

Trump even singled out London Mayor Sadiq Khan, saying the city had been “changed” under his leadership and warning against the influence of sharia law.

For his supporters, the speech reinforced a familiar message: national borders must be defended at all costs.

Trump also reignited his long battle against climate policies, denouncing renewable energy initiatives as destructive to Western economies.

“Climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” he said. “Immigration and the high cost of so-called green renewable energy is destroying the free world.”

Rejecting the Paris climate agreement and international green energy goals, Trump argued that fossil fuels and “traditional energy sources” were essential to prosperity. He accused polluting nations of exploiting Western regulations for profit while weakening developed economies.

On global conflicts, Trump’s remarks were mixed. He pledged to impose “massive tariffs” on Russia to pressure an end to its invasion of Ukraine but criticized NATO allies for continuing to buy Russian oil.

“They’re funding the war against themselves,” Trump said.

Regarding Palestine, Trump dismissed France, the UK, and other allies’ recent recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling it “a reward for terrorism” and warning it would encourage further conflict.

“Some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” he said. “The rewards would be too great for Hamas.”

Beyond immigration and climate, Trump returned to his signature trade agenda. He accused China and other countries of breaking rules and “plundering” Western manufacturing. His proposed solution: tariffs to protect U.S. and European industries.

On security, Trump warned against the spread of nuclear and biological weapons, calling them an existential threat. He said the U.S. would launch a new initiative integrating artificial intelligence into arms-control efforts.

“If we ever use them, the world literally might come to an end,” he warned.

While critical of most global institutions, Trump praised El Salvador for cooperating with U.S. deportation policies. He cited the country’s efforts to detain Venezuelan migrants with suspected gang ties as a “successful and professional” model.

In a surprising turn after his fiery address, Trump struck a conciliatory tone in a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Our country is behind the United Nations 100%,” he said, emphasizing the organization’s “potential for peace.”

Trump’s address highlighted three recurring themes of his political brand:

For allies, it was a rallying cry for sovereignty, cultural preservation, and economic protectionism. For critics, it was a dangerous rejection of international cooperation at a time when global crises demand unity.

Whether Trump’s rhetoric shapes future UN debates—or simply deepens the divide between nationalist and globalist visions—remains to be seen.

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