U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed a range of executive orders pertaining to issues including crypto currency, Artificial Intelligence, and clemency for anti-abortion activists. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Anna Moneymaker / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
At the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, U.S. President Donald Trump boldly declared that he ended “seven unendable wars” within just seven months of his administration.
Addressing world leaders at the UN headquarters on Tuesday, Trump touted what he described as major foreign policy victories—bringing a close to multiple conflicts and trade wars that had long been deemed intractable.
Yet, Trump criticized the United Nations for its ineffectiveness in addressing global crises, questioning its relevance: “What is the purpose of the United Nations?” He continued, “It seems to write very strongly worded letters but empty words don’t solve war.”
Reflecting on his efforts in conflict resolution, Trump remarked that some had even suggested he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. But he downplayed such accolades: “The real prize will be to save millions of lives.”
On Iran—described by Trump as the “world’s number one sponsor of terror”—he claimed his administration had “completely demolished” the country’s enrichment capabilities and successfully brokered an end to a 12-day war.
He also commented on the war in Ukraine, stating that he had once believed it would be the “easiest” conflict to resolve, citing his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the war has continued for over three years, which he claimed is “killing five to seven thousand young people a week.”
Trump took aim at NATO countries, accusing them of double standards: “They are buying oil and gas from Russia when they are fighting Russia,” he said.
As a solution, he proposed harsh economic measures: “If Russia does not end the war, the United States would impose very strict tariffs which would end the war very quickly, but the Europeans have to adopt them as well.”
Regarding the situation in Gaza, Trump called for immediate action, the release of all hostages, and issued a warning: “Unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State would amount to a reward to Hamas for its horrible atrocities.”
Trump also took the opportunity to lash out at the UN’s internal management and spending. “Many years ago, I bid to rebuild the United Nations for $500 million, but they decided to go into another direction which produced a much more inferior complex,” he claimed.
He further alleged wasteful spending: “They spent between two and four billion dollars and did not even get the marble floors I promised them.”
Turning to the issue of migration, Trump criticized the UN for allegedly facilitating illegal entry into the U.S.: “In 2024, the UN spent $372 million in cash to support 624,000 migrants to journey into the United States to infiltrate our Southern border,” he said. “The UN is supposed to stop invasion not promote them.”
On climate and energy policy, Trump didn’t hold back. He dismissed green energy initiatives as a scam and lambasted renewable energy technologies: “Windmills are pathetic,” he said, adding that “the carbon footprint is a hoax.”
He warned: “If you don’t get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail.”
Highlighting Europe’s current challenges, he said: “Energy and open immigration is destroying Europe.” He also pointed to China’s role in global emissions, stating: “China now produces more CO2 than all the other developed nations in the world.”
(NAN)
