By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump will deliver an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, as world leaders confront simultaneous crises from Gaza to Ukraine and question whether Washington, under Trump’s “America First” agenda, is willing to shoulder a global leadership role.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has shaken up US foreign policy by slashing aid budgets, imposing tariffs on allies and rivals alike, and pursuing warmer — though unstable — ties with Russia. At the same time, his administration has struggled to make progress on major international conflicts.

Roughly 150 heads of state and government are scheduled to speak at this week’s session. Trump is slated as the second speaker on Tuesday morning, eight months into a second term defined by steep foreign aid cuts that have fueled humanitarian concerns and cast doubt on the UN’s future. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been forced to cut costs and streamline operations in response.

The White House has not disclosed the full contents of Trump’s remarks, but documents reviewed by Reuters suggest his administration will push for a sweeping rollback of asylum rights, including a requirement that asylum-seekers apply for protection in the first country they enter rather than a nation of their choice. A State Department spokesperson confirmed this more restrictive approach.

Trump and Guterres are also expected to hold their first formal meeting since Trump’s return to office. While Trump has described the UN as having “great potential”, he has accused it of failing to support his efforts to broker peace and has reiterated his skepticism of multilateral institutions — a hallmark of his first term from 2017 to 2021.

The General Assembly convenes as “Israel’s” devastating war on Gaza nears its second anniversary since the October 7, 2023, operation by Palestinian resistance forces. Local health authorities say more than 65,000 Palestinians have been martyred in the nearly two years of bombardment, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.

Dozens of world leaders on Monday formally embraced recognition of a Palestinian state, marking a historic diplomatic shift that directly challenges both “Israel” and its chief backer, the United States. The move underscores growing global support for Palestinian sovereignty amid mounting evidence of atrocities committed by “Israeli” forces in Gaza.

The far-right “Israeli” government of Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected any possibility of Palestinian statehood and continues to prosecute its genocidal war against the people of Gaza. Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN on Friday, where he is expected to defend “Israel’s” conduct.

Other key addresses this week include Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Trump is due to meet with Zelensky on Tuesday, alongside bilateral talks with Argentina’s Javier Milei and a multilateral summit involving leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.