Trump to address UN as he distances U.S. from global cooperation
U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver remarks to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, with world leaders watching closely to see whether Washington is still prepared to play a leadership role in global affairs as crises in Gaza and Ukraine intensify.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has redefined U.S. foreign policy around his "America First" agenda, cutting foreign aid, imposing tariffs on allies and rivals, and cultivating unpredictable ties with Russia. His administration has also pulled U.S. support from multiple UN agencies, fueling concerns about the world body’s future, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Some 150 heads of state and government are expected to speak during the General Assembly’s annual high-level week, with Trump scheduled as the second speaker after the session opens. His appearance comes amid severe U.S. aid cuts that have raised humanitarian concerns and forced UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to pursue cost-cutting reforms.
According to internal planning documents reviewed by Reuters, the Trump administration intends to call for a significant narrowing of asylum rights, seeking to undo elements of the post-World War Two system of humanitarian protection. A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. would push for requiring asylum-seekers to seek protection in the first safe country they enter, rather than choosing their destination.
Trump is expected to meet Guterres for the first time since resuming the presidency, while maintaining his skeptical stance on multilateralism. He has described the UN as having "great potential," but argued it needs to "get its act together," accusing it of failing to assist him in brokering peace in global conflicts.
The General Assembly convenes as the Israel-Hamas war nears its second anniversary. On Monday, dozens of world leaders voiced support for the creation of a Palestinian state, a diplomatic shift that has drawn fierce resistance from Israel and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will address the Assembly on Friday, has repeatedly ruled out Palestinian statehood as his government prosecutes the war in Gaza. Local health authorities say more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
Also set to address the Assembly are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Trump will meet Zelenskyy on Tuesday, in addition to holding bilateral talks with Argentine President Javier Milei and a multilateral session with leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
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