President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, returned on September 23, 2025, with an incendiary speech at the UN General Assembly in New York. Chido Nwangwu delivers insights and relevant context to discuss Trump’s fistful of stones against his named enemies and undiplomatic swipes to his allies in Europe, and elsewhere.
Trump gave Hamas, Putin another red card and set upon the host of this global powerhouse event.
Without mincing words, President of the United States, Donald Trump, did not leave anyone in any shadow of doubt about his low regard for the United Nations. During his controversial speech to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 23, 2025, he said that “The United Nations has not been a partner as the US negotiates peace around the globe… The UN has not been effective…. Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, it, too often, is actually creating new problems for us to solve.” The Republican President cites the sympathetic disposition of the global organization to global migration and facilitations of peaceful resolution of most conflicts (where it can) as very revealing: “The best example is the number one political issue of our time: the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It is uncontrolled.” Mercifully and with a hint of I-told-you-so, he asserted: “Your countries are being ruined.”
He bluntly told his European allies that their countries were going to “hell!”
He left no one confused as to his core position. It is anchored on “America First” and doing business with other countries with the critical addition of tariffs.
For Trump, the European allies should pay or be ready to become servants of the threatening forces across their long borders.
While Trump continues to raise fears of the “other” countries and cultures as existential threats, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States (1945–1953), took the position that “The United Nations is designed to make possible lasting freedom and independence for all its members.”
Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, took a long look at the UN and the world in a September 2025 publication to state that “Eight decades later, one can draw a direct line between the creation of the United Nations and the prevention of a third world war.”
Various American Presidents and different leaders on the international arena hold the United Nations to different levels of respect. While some commend their efforts and work, some hold the UN in measured disregard.
From the formative years of the UN, European leaders, American Presidents and others have provided the strong shoulders and resources to carry forth the global reach of its founding. They united to fund and extend the capacity to support the countries in need or at war. The UN continues to make non-violent interventions with the soft power of caring and supporting troubled communities and countries with encompassing necessities through disasters and conflicts. They have achieved those goals working through their huge logistics.
The United Nations, since it was established in 1945 “provides leadership to make the world a safer, collaborative.” The UN Charter was signed on June 26, and came into effect on October 24.
Most times, a leader’s agenda of interests holds the key to understanding the different perspectives.
Some of those reflect their long-held ideological background and view of the competitive battle and quests for leverage around the world. They could be positions emerging from the changing geopolitical transformations and dynamics of a region.
It could be a move to secure access to strategic raw materials, precious minerals or entry into a large and profitable market. Of course, there could be a number of other considerations to enhance the arsenal of power and influence of a country!
On the issues of climate change and other environmental matters, which he characterized as a ”con job” by former President of the United States Barack Obama, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong noted that she “will keep making the case for climate action because it is in our national interest and in the world’s interest.”
Second, Trump’s stated demographic preferences for international relations and migration seem to minimize the extraordinary skills and successes of young Africans.
Third, he appears patronizing in the manner of interaction and has inadequate channels to engage African countries and leaders.
Fourth, his anti-immigration, anti-migrant education visa programs and shutting off many scholarship opportunities for Africa’s needy but brilliant students need to be revisited.
President Trump remembers the personal memories from the UN event: “These are the two things I got from the United Nations – a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter”.
He said that his wife, Melania Trump nearly fell due to an escalator problem.
-Dr Nwangwu is the Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He served as an adviser on Africa business to Houston’s former Mayor, Lee Brown.
Follow him on X @Chido247.
