Trump criticizes UN at General Assembly, calls body ineffective, outdated

In a fiery address at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, US President Donald Trump sharply criticized the international body, accusing it of failing to fulfill its mission of promoting global peace and stability. He ridiculed the state of its New York headquarters and dismissed the UN’s relevance in resolving modern conflicts, asserting that it had vast, untapped potential but was falling far short of its responsibilities.

Trump reportedly told world leaders that he had always believed in the UN’s potential but that it had never come close to realizing it. He even pointed to something as symbolic as a broken escalator in the building to illustrate its dysfunction, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Underscoring his disdain for multilateral diplomacy, Trump reiterated his frustration with what he called the UN’s failure to assist in resolving international conflicts, claiming he had personally ended seven wars without a single call from the organization offering support.

Turning to global energy issues, Trump demanded that European allies immediately cease all purchases of Russian oil. He argued that continued energy trade with Moscow undermined collective efforts to end the war in Ukraine. He further accused China and India of indirectly funding the conflict through their ongoing purchases of Russian energy.

Trump used the speech to reinforce his credentials as a global dealmaker, boasting of past negotiations with adversaries and contrasting his unilateral achievements with the UN’s perceived inaction. At the same time, he defended recent US military operations, including airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats from Venezuela. 

Trump issued a stark warning about the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons, emphasizing their profound danger to global peace and stability. He declared unequivocally that Iran must never be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon, reaffirming his administration’s uncompromising policy toward Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

By Vafa Guliyeva