U.S. President Donald Trump blasted the United Nations and Europe on his return to the world body Tuesday, warning that Western countries were “going to hell” because of migration and calling climate change a “con job.”
Delivering a scathing speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump warned that Western countries were “going to hell” due to migration and dismissed climate change as a “con job”.
This wasn’t President Trump’s first criticism of the UN, but the tone and reception were notably different from his 2018 speech, which saw fellow leaders laughing at the Republican.
This time, his full-frontal attack on the global organisation and U.S. allies was met with near total silence.
Trump questioned the purpose of the United Nations, stating it has “tremendous potential” but isn’t living up to it.
He accused the world body of failing to help him broker peace deals, including in Gaza and Ukraine.
Trump criticised the UN for failing to get involved in what he claims are seven wars that he has ended or in his failed efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza.
“All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter. It’s empty words, and empty words don’t solve war, ” he said.
He then called recognition by a slate of Washington’s allies of a Palestinian state a “reward” to Hamas for “horrible atrocities” in the armed group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Trump had more harsh words for European allies for failing to stop oil purchases from Russia. He criticized China and India on the same score but Moscow itself escaped relatively lightly.
His strongest language was reserved for blasting migration, one of the core political messages that has driven his two US election victories.
Trump lambasted the UN for “funding an assault” on Western nations that he described as an “invasion.
”Your countries are going to hell,” he told European leaders.
The U.S. president took a typically controversial stance on climate change too, calling it a “hoax” made up by “evil people.” He has pushed for oil drilling and rolled back environmental protections since returning to office.
“Climate change it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” said Trump.
Trump boasted of his tough crime policies, including sending troops to Washington and deadly US strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug smuggling boats.
“To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence,” Trump said.
Trump’s second term has opened with a blaze of nationalist policies curbing cooperation with the rest of the world.
He has moved to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization and the UN climate pact, severely curtailed U.S. development assistance, and wielded sanctions against foreign judges over rulings he sees as violating sovereignty.
In his opening remarks,UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres warned that aid cuts led by the U.S. were “wreaking havoc” in the world.
Also, Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned of “anti-democratic forces” targeting institutions after an alleged coup plot orchestrated by his predecessor, who has won backing from Trump.
