When President Donald Trump delivered comments to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday morning, he repeated criticism of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, particularly in the economy and immigration.
“A year ago, our country was in deep problems. But today, only eight months after my administration, we are the most popular country anywhere in the world, and there is no other country not even close,” he said in the General Assembly, while world leaders meet in New York for the 80th session of the body.
Trump then caught his attention at the United Nations, accusing the world body to ignore conflicts around the world that helped solve.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked. “It has a tremendous and tremendous potential. But it does not even come to meet that potential. For the most part, at least for now, they seem to do is write a really strong letter and then never follow that letter. They are empty words and empty words do not solve war.”
It is the first time that Trump addresses the annual meeting since his return to office.
“Six years have passed since the last time I stopped in this great hall and headed to a prosperous world and in peace in my first place. Since that day, the weapons of war have destroyed the peace that I forged on two continents, an era of calm and stability gave way to one of the great crises of our time,” Trump said while began his comments.
President Donald Trump addresses the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations at the UN Headquarters in New York City, on September 23, 2025.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Later, Trump will participate in bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General, António Guterres and the leaders of Ukraine, Argentina and the European Union. It will also hold a multilateral meeting with leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
It is likely that the Israel War against Hamas in Gaza and the War of Russia-Ukraine dominate the UN General Assembly this week.
Several prominent world leaders, including the key allies of the United States, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, are moving to formally recognize the Palestinian status as the international alarm accumulates on the land offensive of Israel in Gaza and an ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza.
On Monday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, declared in the UN General Assembly that France will now recognize a Palestinian State.
“The time for peace has come,” Macron said.
The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, spoke practically before the UN General Assembly on Monday after the Trump administration revoked its US visa. Uu. Last month to attend the conference in person.
Abbas asked Hamas to deliver his weapons and condemned the murders on October 7, 2023. He also expressed his willingness to work with Trump to implement a peace plan and asked for a “high permanent fire.”
President Donald Trump arrives to attend the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations, in New York City, on September 23, 2025.
Kylie Cooper/Reuters
Trump has said that he wants the war in Gaza to end, but does not agree with other nations on the issue of Palestinian state.
“He feels that this does nothing to free the hostages, which is the main objective at this time in Gaza; he does nothing to finish this conflict and put this war at an end,” Leavitt said Monday.
“And frankly, he believes it is a reward for Hamas,” Leavitt continued. “Then he believes that these decisions are just more conversations and there is not enough action of some of our friends and allies. And I think you will hear him talk about that tomorrow at the UN”
In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked those gathered in the UN General Assembly to put “strong political pressure” on Russia.
“There is a real need for strong pressure on Russia, new joint steps of all in the world that believe that international law should work again,” said Zelenskyy.
Trump expressed a growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin since his summit in Alaska last month did not show advances. Last week, Trump said he thought the war would be one of the easiest global conflicts “due to my relationship with President Putin.”
“But he has disappointed me,” Trump said. “It really has disappointed me.”
The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, speaks during a United Nations Summit about Palestinians at the UN Headquarters during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, on September 22, 2025.
Angela Weiss/AFP through Getty Images
Last week, while meeting with British prime minister Keir Starmer in the United Kingdom, Trump said he could do more to press Russia, but said that other countries must first go back to buy Russian oil.
“I am willing to do other things, but not when the people I am fighting for are buying Russia oil. If the price of oil down, in a very simple way, Russia will form and the price of oil is very low.”
Mariam Khan of ABC News contributed to this report.
