Trump Blasts UN For Being Ineffective, Tells World Leaders ‘Your Countries Are Going To Hell’
President Trump used his UN General Assembly address Tuesday, speaking before more than 100 world leaders, to attack the institution’s effectiveness and go after nations’ moves to combat climate change and allow migrants into their nations. He bluntly stated: “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.”
Trump also made headlines Tuesday for his new tone regarding Ukraine, arguing that the country can win back all the territory it has lost to Russia (about 20% of the nation). It is a stark contrast to his previous position that it would need to concede swaths of land due to the fact that Russia is more powerful.
Today, he posted that, “Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years — a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’” The statements come as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months, as the Russian ruler has increased attacks on Ukraine and invaded the airspace of NATO countries.
On increasing aggression from Russia against neighboring countries, Trump said NATO allies should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter allied airspace. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump praised Ukraine’s military — “Frankly, Ukraine is doing a very good job of stopping this very large army. It’s pretty amazing” — but said U.S. support in such strikes “depends on the circumstance.”
TRUMP’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
Trump said all the UN has offered him is a “bad escalator and a bad teleprompter” and questioned, “What is the purpose of the United Nations?”
A new Gallup poll finds 63% of Americans say the UN is doing a poor job addressing global problems, citing inaction, ineffectiveness, and lack of power. For decades, critics have said that the UN has become more of a debate society, inefficient, corrupt and unable to solve global conflicts.
The UN is "not even coming close to living up to [its] potential ... All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter. And then never follow that letter up. It's empty words and empty words don't solve war," Trump said, pointing to his work ending conflicts that the UN could not solve in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Prime examples include wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Sudan, for which the UN called emergency meetings, passed resolutions, and urged ceasefires (amid Security Council votes) — but with little to no meaningful de-escalation of the conflicts.
ON GAZA
Trump urged additional nations not to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state, arguing that it is a “reward” for Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror attack. He said Hamas has rejected “reasonable offers” for peace amid nearly two years of war. He also called for world leaders to unite around a single demand: “Release the hostages now."
The comments came as about 10 nations officially recognized Palestine as a state in the last 3 days, including France, Britain, Canada, and Australia.
About 150 countries — roughly three-quarters of UN members — now extend symbolic recognition of Palestine. Key issues: Palestinians are represented by multiple regimes, including Hamas; Palestinian borders remain up for negotiation; and any country/full independence would be predicated on a peace deal with Israel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he hoped recognition will “revive the hope of peace for Palestinians and Israelis,” adding Hamas must play “no role” in any future state.
OTHER ISSUES
Migration and renewable energy, Trump argued, are forces “destroying a large part of the free world.”
He touted plunging illegal border crossings across the U.S.-Mexico border since he took office, and warned that countries will lose their national identity with open borders. He warned that Europe in particular is being “destroyed by this double-tailed monster” of uncontrolled migration and investment in renewables.
Climate change, Trump claimed, is “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” calling renewable energy a “scam.”
NOTE: Climate scientists say Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, facing climate risks that threaten food security, infrastructure, and public health.U.S. climate data show that 2024 was the hottest year on record globally, with average surface temperatures 2.32°F above the 20th-century norm and 2.63°F above pre-industrial levels.
That's near the Paris Agreement’s 2.7°F limit. That level is expected to impact extreme weather, heat waves, wildfires, and droughts.
At the start of his second term, Trump moved to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement — the international climate accord first negotiated in 2015 that set targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions to tame climate change.