US President Donald Trump took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, delivering a broad speech covering foreign policy, immigration, climate change, and global security. Throughout, he targeted both allies and rivals while making several controversial and often inaccurate statements.

Teleprompter Trouble

Trump began with a joke about a non-functioning teleprompter. “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” he said. “I feel very happy to be up here with you, nevertheless. And that way, you speak more from the heart. I can only say that whoever’s operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.”

However, a UN official clarified that the teleprompter was actually being operated by the White House. After the speech, UNGA President Annalena Baerbock reassured the public, saying: “As we are receiving queries, I would like to assure you that, don’t worry, the UN teleprompters are working perfectly.”

Immigration and Europe

Trump criticised nations with more open immigration policies than his administration, claiming they were “destroying” their countries. He said, “Europe is in serious trouble. They’ve been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody’s ever seen before. Illegal aliens are pouring into Europe.”

He referenced US policies, stating, “Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border, and removing illegal aliens from the United States, they simply stopped coming.” Trump further claimed that illegal entries had reached zero for “four months in a row.”

In reality, US Customs and Border Protection data show apprehensions dropped from around 60,600 in August 2024 to roughly 8,200 in July 2025—one of the lowest totals in decades but far from zero.

Pressure on Russia and NATO

Trump criticised NATO allies for continuing to buy Russian energy, urging Europe to increase pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. He said, “China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil, but inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy.”

He warned, “For those tariffs to be effective, European nations… would have to join us in adopting the exact same measures.” Trump highlighted Europe’s geographic proximity to Russia, stating, “You’re right there, and Europe has to step it up. They can’t be doing what they’re doing.”

Climate Change Criticism

Returning to his longstanding climate skepticism, Trump called climate science a “con job.” He said, “If you look back years ago, in the 1920s and the 1930s, they said global cooling will kill the world. Then they said global warming will kill the world, but then it started getting cooler. So now, they just call it climate change because that way, they can’t miss.”

He warned, “If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail, and I’m really good at predicting things.” Scientific evidence, however, shows that global warming is accelerating, with rising temperatures, extreme weather, and environmental impacts already being observed.

Self-Proclaimed Peacemaker

Trump claimed, “I ended seven wars… Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda… Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.” He criticised the UN, stating, “In all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help.”

Some nations, including India, have publicly disputed his claims, noting that conflicts like the May 2025 clash with Pakistan were resolved through bilateral discussions rather than US mediation. Supporters, however, have praised him as a “peace president,” with some advocating for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Iran Strike and Middle East Peace

Trump cited the US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites as evidence of American strength. He said, “Seven American B-2 bombers dropped fourteen 30,000-pound bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facility, totally obliterating everything.” He claimed the attack helped end the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Iranian officials, however, stated that no irreversible damage occurred and that all sites had been evacuated prior to the strikes.

Trump also condemned efforts to recognise a Palestinian state, accusing Hamas of blocking peace. “We can’t forget October 7th, can we?” he asked, referencing Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel. He argued, “The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities,” urging unity in demanding the release of hostages.

Hamas denied responsibility for the failed peace deal, pointing to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the primary obstacle.

Drug Trafficking Claims

Trump defended US military strikes on boats allegedly carrying Venezuelan drugs, stating, “We’ve virtually stopped drugs coming into our country by sea. We call them the water drugs.” He also designated several drug cartels, including MS13 and Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organisations.

Experts have questioned the legality of these strikes and noted that most US-bound fentanyl is trafficked through Mexico, not Venezuela. Additionally, authorities found no evidence linking Venezuela’s government to Tren de Aragua, contradicting Trump’s assertions.