New York: US President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, as world leaders gathered for the high-level UNGA session amid wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, rising tensions over Iran and growing concerns over the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
“America is back,” Trump at the United Nations.
Addressing the 81st UN General Assembly, US President @realDonaldTrump highlighted what he described as America’s growing strength, pointing to the country’s economy, military, technology and energy.
Trump also said it was an… pic.twitter.com/u0IegYMkG2
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Trump used his address to defend his administration’s foreign policy, highlight what he described as major diplomatic achievements and warn Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons. He also spoke about Gaza, Ukraine, the Strait of Hormuz, Cuba and the future of AI.
Trump Calls For Complete Economic Isolation Of Iran
Trump urged countries to completely isolate Iran economically, calling on Tehran to end attacks on commercial shipping, abandon its nuclear ambitions and stop supporting terrorism.
“I called on all nations to join us in enforcing the complete economic isolation of Iran until they stop their attacks on commercial shipping, relinquish their nuclear ambitions, and cease their support of terror,” Trump said.
Trump described Iran’s regime as weak and desperate and warned that the US would not allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“The terrorist regime is behaving badly, not because they are strong and confident, but because they are weak and desperate,” Trump said.
“They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more,” he added.
The Trump administration has separately pursued an intensified campaign of economic pressure against Iran, including what the White House has called “Operation Economic Outcast,” aimed at cutting off the Iranian regime’s remaining economic lifelines.
Trump Says Iran Deal Could Come After US Midterm Elections
Trump said he believes Iran could agree to a deal after the US midterm elections, while warning that he faces a major decision between pursuing an agreement and taking further military action against the Islamic Republic.
He said Iran was waiting to see how he performs in the midterms, but insisted the election would not influence his approach towards Tehran. “The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he said, adding that he believed a deal could be reached after the election.
He also said he had to decide whether to allow Iran to rebuild through an agreement or “annihilate the Islamic Republic” to prevent it from again threatening other countries.
Trump Claims US Administration Ended Gaza War
Trump claimed his administration had brought the war in Gaza to an end and said thousands of lives had been saved.
“We ended the war in Gaza, saving thousands of lives,” Trump said.
He has repeatedly highlighted US diplomatic efforts around Gaza and presented the conflict as one of the major areas where his administration has sought to broker an end to hostilities. His remarks came as the UN continues to call for the implementation of a Gaza peace plan and unrestricted humanitarian access.
US Navy Has Escorted More Than 1 Billion Barrels Of Oil Through Hormuz
Trump said the US Navy has escorted more than one billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, while claiming that energy flows through the strategic waterway have reached their highest levels since the conflict started.
“We’re taking 22, 25, 30, 32, and 37 ships out, respectively, every single day, every single night,” he said.
The White House has previously said US forces cleared Iranian mines from international shipping lanes and escorted hundreds of commercial vessels through the Strait. In an Aug. 28 statement, the administration said nearly 1,500 commercial vessels had moved through under US protection, carrying 750 million barrels of crude.
Trump Says He Has Settled Eight Wars
Trump again highlighted what he described as a record of resolving international conflicts, saying he had “settled eight wars” and portraying himself as a leader focused on ending wars rather than starting them.
“It has been my great honor to settle eight wars,” Trump says at UNGA.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly, US President @realDonaldTrump said he had helped settle eight conflicts, citing relationships with world leaders, trade, tariffs and the threat of tariffs… pic.twitter.com/uVcSApbjxO
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“It has been my great honor to settle eight wars and, in so doing, become friendly with the leaders of many of those countries,” Trump said.
Trump has made the “eight wars” claim repeatedly during his second term. The assertion has been disputed by fact-checkers, who have noted that some of the conflicts he cites involved temporary ceasefires or diplomatic disputes rather than lasting peace settlements.
Trump Calls For End To Russia-Ukraine War
Trump also turned to the war in Ukraine, reiterating his call for an end to the conflict and presenting a negotiated settlement as a priority.
“It is time to STOP THE KILLING,” Trump says at UNGA.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly, US President @realDonaldTrump said his administration continues to seek an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which he said is killing tens of thousands of people each month.… pic.twitter.com/o8vBEYSoA9
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His comments came as the war enters its fifth year, with the UN continuing to call for an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace based on the UN Charter and international law.
Trump has previously expressed frustration with the lack of progress toward ending the conflict and said he wanted to secure a deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump Warns Cuba, Defends US Policy In Western Hemisphere
Trump also addressed US policy toward Cuba and the wider Western Hemisphere, reflecting his administration’s increasingly assertive approach toward governments in the region.
The US has maintained significant economic pressure on Cuba, including restrictions on fuel shipments. Trump has also previously described Venezuela as a country where his administration achieved a rapid military outcome and indicated that Cuba could face similar pressure.
Trump Pitches US Leadership In Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence was another major theme of Trump’s address.
Trump argued that the US must maintain its lead in AI and questioned the terminology surrounding the technology, suggesting that “artificial intelligence” could eventually be better described as “super-intelligence.”
His comments came as AI governance emerged as one of the major issues at this year’s UNGA, with world leaders and UN officials debating how to manage the opportunities and risks posed by rapidly advancing AI systems. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the race to develop increasingly powerful AI could create serious global risks without international cooperation and common safeguards.
Trump Highlights US Economy, Border Policies
Trump also used the global platform to highlight his administration’s domestic record, including US economic performance and border policies, linking them to his broader argument that national strength is central to international influence.
The address reflected Trump’s broader “America First” approach, with an emphasis on US sovereignty, economic power, military strength and direct bilateral engagement.
Trump’s appearance at the 81st UN General Assembly comes at a particularly consequential moment for the international system, with the Middle East conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, AI governance and the future role of the United Nations among the central issues confronting world leaders. The UNGA general debate runs from Sept. 22 through Sept. 28 at UN headquarters in New York.
