Trump Warns NATO Allies “You’re Funding the War Against Yourselves”
US President Donald Trump delivered a fierce speech to the UN General Assembly on September 23, calling for reduced global migration and a retreat from climate change policies. Over the course of 56 minutes, he issued stinging criticism of world leaders and international institutions, in what many described as a return to his trademark combative style. The chamber responded with polite applause as he left.
Fresh from meeting King Charles in Windsor, Trump derided climate change as a «con job» and urged greater reliance on fossil fuels, despite overwhelming scientific evidence of human-driven global warming.
«Immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe,» he warned.
His administration is also expected to propose restricting asylum rights later this month, aiming to dismantle post-war humanitarian frameworks.
Trump’s remarks mixed policy declarations with several false claims, including that London Mayor Sadiq Khan seeks to impose «sharia law» and that inflation has been «defeated» in the US, just days after the Federal Reserve reported rising prices.
Criticism for Allies and Talk of Tariffs
Although European leaders have been working to steady ties with Washington, Trump mocked NATO members for failing to halt purchases of Russian oil. He threatened powerful tariffs on Moscow unless a deal to end the war in Ukraine is reached, and pressed European nations to adopt identical measures. Possible sanctions could extend to countries trading with Russia, such as India and China, while Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey remain key buyers of Russian oil.
«They’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one? In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs,» he said.
Later, in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump expressed support for NATO countries shooting down Russian aircraft if they violated airspace.
Middle East and Gaza Conflict
On the Israel-Palestinian issue, Trump rejected calls for recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing it would reward Hamas. He reiterated demands for hostages to be returned, alive or dead, and said the US supports a ceasefire-for-hostages deal.
«We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to immediately negotiate peace,» he declared, ahead of meetings with Gulf leaders on the future of Gaza.
Grievances and Escalator Incident
Trump also complained about a lack of UN backing for his global peace initiatives, linking his grievances to personal annoyances. He joked that he and First Lady Melania Trump had been stranded on a malfunctioning UN escalator and that his teleprompter had failed.
«These are the two things I got from the United Nations – a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,» he quipped.
UN officials later explained that the escalator had stopped when Trump’s videographer accidentally triggered a safety mechanism while moving backwards to film his entrance. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, called for an investigation, suggesting the incident may have been deliberate.
Kursiv also reports that Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has declared that US President Donald Trump is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
