Key Highlights From Donald Trump's United Nations Speech

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US President Donald Trump has blasted the United Nations and Europe on his return to the world body, warning that Western countries were “going to hell” because of migration and dismissing climate change as a “con job”.

In a blistering speech during his first UN General Assembly appearance since his return to the presidency in January, Trump also accused the world body of failing to help him as he tried to broker a series of peace deals including in Gaza and Ukraine.

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” asked Trump in a wide-ranging speech lasting nearly an hour.

“It has such tremendous potential but it’s not even coming close to living up to that.”

Trump’s first speech to the UN, in 2018, saw fellow leaders laughing at the Republican, but this time his full-frontal attack on the global organisation and US allies was received in near-total silence.

These were the key moments from the 79-year-old’s UN address.

Countries ‘going to hell’ due to immigration

Trump’s fieriest words were on migration, as he advised the world to follow his lead on one of the core political messages that drove his two US election victories.

Trump lambasted the UN for “funding an assault” on Western nations that he described as an “invasion” due to insufficient migration controls.

An aerial view of a large indoor chamber with a raised platform. Donald Trump is speaking from behind a lectern as people seated at curved benches listen

US President Donald Trump has delivered a combative speech to the UN General Assembly that criticised world leaders. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

He said the fabric of Western nations was being destroyed.

“Your countries are going to hell,” he said, at one point adding: “If you don’t stop people that you’ve never seen before, that you have nothing in common with, your country is going to fail.”

Criticism of UN over Ukraine and Gaza

Trump also criticised the UN for failing to get involved in what he claims are seven wars that he has ended, or in his failed efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza.

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” he asked during his speech.

He added later: “For the most part, at least for now, 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.”

The US leader later dramatically escalated his rhetoric on Ukraine, but rather than address Russia, he told NATO nations to shoot down Russian planes violating their territory and European leaders to stop buying Russian energy products.

“It’s embarrassing to them, and it was very embarrassing to them when I found out about it,” Trump said. “They have to immediately cease all energy purchases from Russia. Otherwise, we’re all wasting a lot of time.”

Donald Trump, wearing a dark blue suit and red tie, holds his right hand up with his thumb and forefinger pressed together as he speaks from behind a lectern

US President Donald Trump rejected moves by nations to recognise the State of Palestine. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Recognition of the State of Palestine a ‘reward’ for Hamas

On Gaza, a subject that has dominated the UN summit, Trump called recognition of a Palestinian state by US allies a “reward” to Hamas for “horrible atrocities ” in the armed group’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel.

Australia and the majority of the UN members, including France, Britain and Canada, now recognise the State of Palestine.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday however that Trump could only achieve his long-held goal of a Nobel Peace Prize if he stopped the Gaza war.

Climate change ‘the greatest con job’

The US president took a typically strident stance on climate change too, saying he was “right about everything” as he pushed for oil drilling and the rolling back of green policies.

“Climate change — it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” said the billionaire property tycoon.

Most climate scientists agree that climate change is already happening and is driven largely by fossil fuel pollution. Its impacts are already apparent, with floods growing more extreme, droughts more widespread, and heat waves becoming more deadly.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Communications Minister Anika Wells sitting at a bench

From left, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Communications Minister Anika Wells watch US President Donald Trump give a scathing speech to world leaders. They gave him polite applause when he exited the chamber. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

But Trump slammed the science.

“All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people.”

Attacks on the UN

His litany of complaints even extended to a broken escalator and teleprompter at the New York headquarters of the UN, which he has repeatedly targeted during both of his presidential terms.

“These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,” he said.

Later, he also appeared to get a dig in around UN secretary-general António Guterres, who, when opening the summit, warned that aid cuts led by the United States were “wreaking havoc” in the world.

After meeting Guterres, Trump appeared to call for a change in leadership, telling reporters: “The UN could be unbelievable with certain people running it.”

Trump’s second term has opened with a blaze of nationalist policies curbing cooperation with the rest of the world.

He has moved to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization and the UN climate pact, and he has severely slashed funding for the UN and foreign humanitarian aid.