Trump’s Combative UN Speech Deepens Global Rift
By Mohamad Hammoud
Walkouts, Defiance and Rising Nationalism Leave the United Nations Fractured
A Stage Set for Discord
The September 2025 United Nations General Assembly was intended as a showcase of global cooperation—a week for diplomacy, negotiation, and shared global goals. Instead, it became a stage for escalating tensions, populist grievances, and a striking erosion of the UN’s foundational principles. The eighty-first session was dominated not by collective vision but by the chaotic and confrontational style of its most powerful participant: the United States under President Donald J. Trump.
From traffic disputes to walkouts, fiery denunciations, and moments of farce, the week revealed a growing consensus among world leaders that the UN’s authority is being steadily undermined by resurgent nationalism, with the US at the center of the unraveling. The Guardian reported that Trump’s address, one of the most combative of his presidency, dismissed the UN as “feckless” and corrupt, urged countries to close their borders, and called for sovereignty above all—a clear reflection of the nationalist rhetoric he has long championed.
Macron, Palestine and Diplomatic Tensions
The session opened with a symbolic demonstration of US assertiveness. French President Emmanuel Macron’s motorcade was temporarily halted in New York City to allow Trump’s convoy to pass. Macron, visibly frustrated, joked on the phone, “Guess what, I am waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you”. While seemingly a minor traffic incident, the episode became a metaphor for the broader disregard for diplomatic norms, illustrating Washington’s willingness to assert precedence over even close allies.
Macron later reaffirmed France’s recognition of Palestine as a state, sparking applause from some quarters but anger from others, particularly US and “Israeli” officials. Colombian President Gustavo Petro also delivered one of the week’s most forceful addresses, condemning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, accusing the United States of complicity in deadly Caribbean operations, calling them “murder” of “unarmed, poor young people”, and demanding investigations into US officials. His call for a coalition of nations to protect Palestinians underscored the widening rift between Washington and the Global South.
Trump’s Combative Address
If Macron and Petro’s speeches displayed principled defiance, Trump’s address was an exercise in spectacle and provocation. Departing from the traditional cadence of a head of state, he delivered a sprawling, hour-long monologue resembling a campaign rally more than a global summit.
Trump attacked the UN as “feckless” and corrupt, urged countries to close borders, and dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” He criticized European leaders for “suicidal energy ideas” and migration policies, which he claimed destabilize nations. At one point, he aired grievances over technical issues at the UN, complaining about a stalled escalator and a malfunctioning teleprompter, labeling the incidents “triple sabotage”.
A Moment of Embarrassment for the US
Perhaps the most awkward moment came when Trump turned to personal business concerns. He openly complained that the UN had awarded contracts to a “cheap” vendor instead of one of his companies. Journalists noted the audible discomfort as delegates listened, bewildered, to a sitting president reducing America’s global platform to a business negotiation. The Washington Post described it as an embarrassment for both Trump and the United States, raising serious questions about the country’s commitment to international leadership.
Walkouts During the “Israeli” Prime Minister’s Speech
Tensions peaked when “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Assembly. Numerous delegates from Arab, African and Latin American nations walked out, leaving large swaths of the hall empty. Netanyahu pressed on, calling the UN a “contemptuous farce” and pledging to continue military operations despite international criticism. The walkout vividly illustrated the UN’s fractured authority: while “Israel” continues to enjoy US backing, it faces growing diplomatic isolation elsewhere.
The UN’s Enduring Role and Limitations
Despite the discord, many leaders defended the UN’s relevance. Reuters reported that officials from Europe, Asia, and Africa described it as “an imperfect but indispensable forum” for addressing shared crises, including climate change and humanitarian emergencies.
Yet the Assembly also highlighted the UN’s structural limitations. The organization is expected to act decisively in crises, but sovereignty and Security Council vetoes constrain action. This tension—between moral imperative and political reality—is at the heart of the UN’s current predicament.
The Fractured Path Forward
The 2025 General Assembly was less a celebration of multilateralism than a testament to its decline. The US, rather than projecting leadership, became a source of spectacle, airing grievances and flaunting unilateralism. Leaders across the globe responded with protest, defiance, and walkouts, signaling that traditional frameworks of diplomacy no longer command universal authority.
For Americans, the implications are immediate. The UN reflects the world as it exists, not as it should be. Currently, the world is fractured, with nationalism on the rise and cooperation in retreat.
A Test of American Leadership
The ultimate question is whether the United States will continue to accelerate this erosion or reclaim the mantle of principled global leadership. The credibility of American democracy, its values, and its global role are being judged not only at home but on the world’s most visible stage: the United Nations. How Washington responds will shape international diplomacy for years to come.
