US President Donald Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly was less a conventional diplomatic speech and more a broad presentation of how he views America’s use of its global power. He spoke extensively about Iran, Gaza and Ukraine, while also addressing Greenland, Venezuela, Cuba, the United Nations and the fast-growing field of artificial intelligence.
The strongest language in the speech was directed at Iran. Trump defended US military action against Tehran, reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and urged countries to impose complete economic isolation on the Islamic Republic. He also raised the possibility of either reaching a deal with Iran or “annihilating” the country, although he later said he believed an agreement could still be reached.
Trump also claimed that his administration had brought the Gaza war to an end, said the Ukraine conflict could be resolved sooner than anticipated and announced an agreement that would allow a greater US military presence in Greenland.
Here is a detailed look at the key points from his address:
Trump began by describing the United States as stronger and more powerful under his administration. He pointed to increased military spending and what he characterised as a revival of America’s economic and strategic position.
“America is back, and our country is stronger today than ever before,” Trump said. He claimed that US military expenditure had reached record levels, with his administration expected to spend $1.5 trillion during his current term.
“The entire world is being lifted by the wealth, strength, spirit and momentum of a newly energised and very powerful United States of America,” he said. Trump also emphasised his preference for confronting threats before they become larger problems. “While others have talked, I have acted. While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace,” he said, portraying his administration as prepared to use US power to address long-standing international conflicts.
Iran featured prominently in Trump’s speech. He said Tehran had been allowed to grow stronger “at the world’s peril”, while claiming that the US had intervened to prevent Iran from spreading terror. Trump said Washington had stopped Iran’s “mad dash to a nuclear bomb from behind this ballistic missile shield”.
“If they had succeeded, that wicked regime would have been free to spread terror and death forever,” he said. Trump again warned that Iran would not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon. He said that after returning to office, he had offered Tehran broad economic cooperation in return for abandoning its nuclear programme and support for terrorism.
“Upon taking office last year, I immediately opened negotiations with Iran and offered them full economic cooperation in exchange for ending their nuclear program and support for terror, but they refused. They absolutely refused. That was a big mistake.”
Trump urged countries to join Washington in imposing “complete economic isolation” on Iran. He said Tehran should remain isolated until it stops attacks on commercial shipping, abandons its nuclear ambitions and ends its backing of terrorism.
“The terrorist regime is behaving badly, not because they are strong and confident but because they are weak and desperate. If we stand united, we will soon see a world free of the last 51-year menace of Iranian terror,” Trump said.
He also raised the possibility of additional military action, asking whether the US should reach an agreement with Iran or destroy the Islamic Republic.
“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far better country than it was before, or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic?” Trump asked during his UNGA address.
“Do I drive them into hell with no chances of survival?” he continued. Despite the threats, Trump said he believed an agreement could be reached following the US midterm elections in November.
Trump devoted considerable attention to Gaza, recalling the situation when he had last addressed the UN. He said the conflict had then been continuing, hostages were still being held inside Hamas tunnels and there was little indication that the war would end.
According to Trump, developments during the UN General Assembly meetings helped alter the situation. He said that “a few weeks later, we ended the war in Gaza, saving untold thousands of lives”. He also claimed that all remaining hostages had been returned home.
On Ukraine, Trump said he believed the war could end sooner than many people expected. He said his administration was maintaining close contact with both Russian and Ukrainian leaders while working towards a solution to the conflict.
Trump did not announce a specific timeline or outline a new proposal, but expressed confidence that the war could be resolved more quickly than anticipated. Earlier, while arriving at the UN headquarters, he had urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring the conflict to an end.
Trump highlighted an oil partnership involving the US and Venezuela, saying the two countries had reached what he described as the largest oil deal in history, involving 65 billion barrels of oil. He said the agreement would benefit both nations and contribute to lower energy costs globally.
“The biggest oil companies in the world are going in (to Venezuela), and the numbers are absolutely incredible,” Trump said. He also claimed that the US and Venezuela together represent more than 60 per cent of global oil.
Turning to Cuba, Trump said Washington was seeking a “fundamental change” in the communist-ruled nation.
“It’s an absolutely failed state. It’s failing like never before, and it will fall. Communism will never be coming to America, but freedom will be coming to Cuba,” he said. The Cuban delegation left the UN chamber while Trump was making the remarks.
Trump also criticised the United Nations, claiming that the US had worked with other countries to introduce what he called the organisation’s most extensive reforms in history. He said Washington had reduced the UN budget by 15 per cent in 2026 and eliminated more than 4,000 positions.
Trump criticised what he called a “far-left agenda of globalist bureaucrats” and rejected the concept of global taxation. He said the US had prevented the International Maritime Organization from introducing what he described as a worldwide carbon tax that could increase international shipping costs.
“There is no global government, and while I’m president, there will be no global taxes,” he said.
Trump repeated his claim that he had helped prevent a full-scale war between India and Pakistan in May 2025. He said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had credited him with helping save millions of lives.
Describing Sharif as a “terrific man”, Trump said the Pakistani prime minister had thanked him for helping end the confrontation and “saving 30 million lives”. He also claimed that leaders of countries where he had intervened to help end conflicts had subsequently written to him to express their gratitude.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan, a terrific man, said that Donald Trump was responsible for saving 30 million lives, and probably many more than that,” Trump said.
Greenland was another significant subject in Trump’s address. The US, Denmark and Greenland later signed an agreement permitting an expanded US military presence on the strategically important island. Trump described the arrangement as an “unprecedented agreement regarding the northern frontier of North America”.
The agreement does not go as far as Trump’s earlier demand that the US take control of Greenland, but it allows Washington to increase its military presence there. Trump said the arrangement would enable the US to establish a substantial military presence, including two major military bases.
In his UN speech, Trump said the agreement would provide the US with “permanent control over security and all other needs on that territory”.
“No US adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland any more, or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval,” he said.
Artificial intelligence was another major theme, although Trump referred to the technology using a different name. Calling it “super intelligence”, or SI, he said the US opposed what he described as a “globalist scheme” aimed at controlling AI.
“The use of the word artificial makes intelligence sound fake, and it is not fake,” Trump said. “It’s actually amazing.”
“All of US documents will be changed to use the much more accurate term ‘super’, instead of ‘artificial’,” he added. “Welcome to the new world of super intelligence slash SI.”
Trump said the US would focus on promoting the development of the technology rather than restricting it.
“The United States leads the world in super intelligence, and we’ll continue to do so safely and responsibly. Americans have never been a nation that retreats from a frontier or shrinks from a challenge, no matter how great or how daunting that challenge may be,” he said.
