By Omodele Adigun
President Trump’s speech, filled with familiar grievances and false claims, criticized the U.N. as ineffective.
Speaking before him, the U.N.’s secretary general warned that the organization’s principles “are under siege.”
President Trump questioned the United Nations’ mission and lectured its member nations on Tuesday in a meandering speech before the General Assembly.
Boasting about his record and assailing the U.N. as ineffective in a nearly hourlong address, he sought to portray himself as the only leader who could solve the world’s problems.
As the General Assembly convened on its 80th anniversary with wars raging in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, Mr. Trump claimed that he had resolved conflicts around the world while the U.N. had done nothing. “Sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help in any on them,” Mr. Trump said.
While taking credit for ending conflicts between Israel and Iran, Cambodia and Thailand, and Armenia and Azerbaijan, Mr. Trump again blamed his predecessor, Joseph R. Biden, for Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine.
He also said China and India were financing the war because they purchase oil from Russia, and he said he was ready impose more tariffs on Russia if it does not agree to a cease-fire, but only if Europe ends all purchases of Russian oil and gas.
Going well beyond his allotted 15 minutes, the president veered off script with dubious claims about immigration and green energy, warning that mass migration and a shift to renewable energy were a “double-tailed monster” destroying European nations.
Besides taking shots at Mr. Biden, Mr. Trump targeted other political opponents and close NATO allies that have recognized a Palestinian state.
Trump repeated his demand that “we want all the hostages back” from Gaza without mentioning the issues of Israel’s efforts to take Gaza City or his past promises to get more food and aid to the enclave. Israel’s blockade of aid to the enclave amid a growing humanitarian crisis has drawn accusations of genocide.
He spent 10 minutes dismissing climate change as a hoax, despite a widespread scientific consensus that it is real.
The global average temperature has already increased by over 1 degree Celsius since the start of the industrial era.
In his welcoming speech, the secretary general of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned about the dangerously chaotic state of the world while providing a measure of hope that unity and diplomacy can bring stability.
“People everywhere are demanding something better, and we owe them something deserving of their trust,” Mr. Guterres said.
He also touched upon climate change, something he has made a priority for his legacy, and his ambitious restructuring plan known as UN80.
In his welcoming speech, the Secretary general of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned about the dangerously chaotic state of the world while providing a measure of hope that unity and diplomacy can bring stability.
“People everywhere are demanding something better, and we owe them something deserving of their trust,” Mr. Guterres said. He also touched upon climate change, something he has made a priority for his legacy, only to have Mr. Trump deride it as a “hoax” minutes later.
Other notable speakers on Tuesday include President Emmanuel Macron of France, who led a two-state solution conference on Monday that focused on Palestinian statehood; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, where Israel recently bombed Hamas targets; King Abdullah II of Jordan; and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.
The U.N. Security Council will convene back-to-back sessions on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine this afternoon, with many foreign ministers in attendance. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who is expected to meet with Mr. Trump on Tuesday, will address the Council. The Council has not acted in either conflict, blocked by the veto power of Russia in the case of Ukraine and of the United States in support of Israel. (New York Times)
