‘A bad escalator and a bad teleprompter’: Trump says UN ineffective
Trump has hailed his role in attempting to reach ceasefires in conflicts across the world. He claims seven, although Washington’s role in several of those mediations has been questioned.
Still, Trump told world leaders his track record, for which he says he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, underscores the ineffectiveness of the UN.
“It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them, and sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them,” he said.
Trump referenced a broken elevator he said he encountered at the UN headquarters, and the previously mentioned teleprompter. “These are the two things I got from the United Nations, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,” he said.
“I didn’t think of it at the time because I was too busy working to save millions of lives, that is, the saving and stopping of these wars. But later, I realised that the United Nations wasn’t there for us,” he added.
“That being the case, what is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential … but it’s not even coming close to living up to their potential for the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up,” he said.
Trump touts success in ending Iran’s nuclear capabilities
Trump is using part of his time at the UN General Debate to trumpet the US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.
“Three months ago, in Operation Midnight Hammer, seven American B2 bombers dropped 30,000 pound each bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facility, totally obliterating everything. No other country on Earth could have done what we did.”
While Trump claims the attack completely demolished Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, a US defence assessment suggested it was set back only by a few months.
As Iran now suspends cooperation with IAEA while getting better air defense from China.
‘We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately’: Trump
The president of the US, Israel’s staunchest military and political backer, continues his speech by saying he has been “deeply engaged” in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel’s war has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians.
“We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to stop it,” Trump said.
“We have to get it done. We have to negotiate peace,” he added. “We have to get the hostages back. We want all 20 back.”
“We have to get them back now,” he said. “We want actually the 38 dead bodies back too.”
Trump also argued that Hamas “has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace” – a claim rejected by the Palestinian group, which has repeatedly accused Israel of blocking a ceasefire.
The US president also reiterated his claim that the recognition of a Palestinian state by a number of Western countries over the past few days was a “reward” for Hamas.
Netanyahu has derailed every peace effort, last time by bombing the negotiation delegation in Doha, Qatar.
Meanwhile Trump has vetoed the latest ceasefire resolution again 14-1, and is seeking approval for another $6 billion in weapons for Israel.
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-vetoes-un-demand-ceasefire-aid-access-gaza-2025-09-18/
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/white-house-seeking-congress-approval-sell-israel-6-bln-weapons-wsj-reports-2025-09-19/
