Trump’s attacks on India, NATO, UN and climate ‘hoax’ claims: All you need to know from US President’s UNGA address

Speaking on the UN’s 80th anniversary, the US president told world leaders the organisation was “funding an assault on your countries” and warned Europe in particular that unchecked immigration was “destroying your heritage.”

Top 10 themes from Trump’s UNGA address:

1. 01

   Russia-Ukraine War

   Trump blamed China, India, and some European nations for prolonging the Ukraine war through energy purchases and threatened tariffs on Russia.

   “China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil,” Trump said. “But inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products, which, as you know, I found out about two weeks ago, and I wasn’t happy. They’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one? In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs. I thought that would be the easiest because of my relationship with President Putin, which had always been a good one.”

2. 02

   Immigration in Europe

   Trump scolded European countries over immigration, urging them to adopt stricter policies similar to the US. He called immigration and green energy policies a “double-tailed monster” destroying Europe and warned that countries failing to act are “going to hell.”

   “It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now,” Trump said. “Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border and removing illegal aliens from the United States, they simply stopped coming. 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. I love Europe, and I hate to see it being devastated by energy and immigration, that double-tailed monster that destroys everything in its wake. You’re doing it because you want to be nice. You want to be politically correct, and you’re destroying your heritage.”

3. 03

   Hamas and Gaza

   Trump urged Hamas to release hostages and criticised European recognition of a Palestinian state.

   “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to stop it. We have to get it done. We have to negotiate peace. We have to get the hostages back. We want all 20 back. We don’t want two and four. We want them back now. We want actually the 38 dead bodies back, too. Hamas has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace. As if to encourage continued conflict, some in this body seek to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. This would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7. But instead of giving in to Hamas as ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: release the hostages now. Just release the hostages now,” Trump said.

4. 04

   Role of United Nations

   Trump accused the UN of being ineffective and “funding an assault on Western countries’ borders.”

   “The UN is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and we have to get them out. The UN also provided food, shelter, transportation, and debit cards to illegal aliens. The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them,” Trump said. “I’ve always said the UN has such tremendous potential. But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. For the most part, 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. Sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help. Two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.”

5. 05

   Tariffs and trade

   US President Donald Trump told world leaders that his administration is using tariffs as “a defence mechanism” to ensure other nations follow global trade rules. He claimed the tariffs were needed due to persistent trade imbalances and emphasised the financial benefits.

   “My administration is using import taxes as a defence mechanism. These tariffs will ensure that other nations follow global rules on trade,” Trump said. “I declared an emergency under a 1977 law to impose sweeping tariffs on most of the countries on the planet. This was needed because of a persistent trade imbalance. I want the revenues generated by tariffs, even though a large portion of that cost is covered by American businesses and consumers who face higher prices. Inflation in the US is low, even though several measures are running above the Federal Reserve’s 2 per cent target.”

6. 06

   Climate change

   Trump dismissed climate science, calling it a “hoax” and a “fake energy catastrophe.” He insisted predictions of climate disaster were false and warned that nations adhering to green policies risk failure.

   “Climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetuated on the world and a fake energy catastrophe,” Trump said. “The carbon footprint is a hoax, made up by people with evil intentions and they’re heading down a path of total destruction. All of these predictions were wrong, made by stupid people. If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”

7. 07

   US immigration policy

   Trump also underlined his domestic crackdown on illegal immigration as a humanitarian act.

   “Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border — and removing illegal aliens from the United States — they simply stopped coming. This is a humanitarian act. We’re saving people who might otherwise die trying to cross the US border illegally,” he said.

8. 08

   US national pride

   Trump also took the moment to boast about US global standing and economic strength.

   “The US is the hottest country anywhere in the world, and there is no other country even close. The US is the best country on Earth to do business. The economy now is bigger and even better than during my first term, which was the greatest … in the history of the world. The US is respected again like never before,” he said.

9. 09

   Crime and safety in Washington, DC

   Trump invited world leaders to see the US capital, boasting about its safety following a heavy law enforcement presence.

   “I welcome you to come. In fact, we’ll have dinner together at a local restaurant and we’ll be able to walk. We don’t have to go by an armoured-plated vehicle. The city is totally safe after I flooded the streets with National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers,” Trump said.

10. 10

    Nobel Peace prize

    Trump also spoke about his desire to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming that “everyone” thinks that he deserves one through his efforts brokering peace across the globe.

    “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements,” Trump said, earlier repeating his assertion that he’s ended multiple wars. “But for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up with the mothers and fathers, because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless and glorious wars.”

    “What I care about is not winning prizes, it’s saving lives,” Trump continued.

Towards the end, Trump repeated what he said were the two defining issues for the world. “In closing, I just want to repeat that immigration and the high cost of so-called green renewable energy is destroying a large part of the free world and a large part of our planet,” he said.

“Countries that cherish freedom are fading fast because of their policies on these two subjects. You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again, whether you have come from north or south, east or west, near or far,” he said.

Trump concluded in just under an hour, trying to end on an optimistic note after an address: “Let us all work together to build a bright, beautiful planet.”

He added: “We’re gonna take care of our people. Thank you very much. It’s been an honour. God bless the nations of the world.”