Donald Trump’s latest United Nations appearance mixed sweeping foreign-policy claims with some awkward moments inside the General Assembly chamber. The president used the roughly 40-minute speech to project American power. Meanwhile, several delegates appeared disengaged, and representatives from Cuba and Iran left after Trump took aim at their governments.
Reactions to Donald Trump’s address and major policy remarks explained
Donald Trump arrived at the UN with plenty to discuss. He praised the U.S. military campaign in Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Then he highlighted an agreement expanding American military access in Greenland. He also pushed a new label for AI, telling the assembly that “super intelligence” should replace the term “artificial.”
The room offered its own running commentary. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spent part of the speech looking at his phone, while a Bosnian and Herzegovinian official appeared to struggle to stay awake. Cuban officials then exited after Trump branded Cuba a “failed state” and promised that “freedom will be coming” to its people (via The Daily Beast).
Iran became the sharpest flashpoint. With Iranian representatives still present, Trump framed his options as either reaching an agreement or destroying the Islamic Republic. “I have a big decision to make,” he said before describing a potential deal that could allow Iran to rebuild. The Iranian delegation then exited the venue.
Trump also clashed with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins outside the UN. Just days after his administration barred CNN from the White House, Collins questioned him about polling that showed two-thirds of Americans did not think the U.S. had the upper hand in the ongoing Iran war. Trump told her, “You shouldn’t be here,” but Collins said CNN had UN credentials from the organizing body.
The president’s schedule extended beyond the speech. Trump joined Denmark and Greenland for a trilateral signing that formalized an Arctic security agreement and expanded U.S. military access to Greenland. He also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and was set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
