Trump’s Turbulent UNGA: Tariffs, “Hell hole” Europe, and a possible Ukraine U-Turn
At the General Assembly, Trump threatened tariffs on Russia, slammed Europe’s migration policies, and derided the UN as outdated and ineffective.
As a bonus for Day II of UNGA 80, I’m sharing a special video summary (coming your way shortly) focused on U.S. President Donald Trump’s address to the Assembly. Did anything he said truly move the needle on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine?
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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would meet with European leaders to work on taking action against Russia to end the war in Ukraine, even as he simultaneously argued EU countries were "going to hell" thanks to open migration policies. "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, which would stop the bloodshed I believe very quickly," he said in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump then went on to repeat his demand that European countries should stop purchasing Russian oil and gas — something he views as a precondition for the U.S. moving to impose those tariffs against Russia. "So I’m ready to discuss this," he continued. "We’re going to discuss it today with the European nations all gathered here. I’m sure they’re thrilled to hear me talk about it. But that’s the way it is." EU countries have drastically reduced their reliance on Russian energy since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022, but Hungary and Slovakia remain substantial buyers of Russian oil and gas and have so far resisted pressure to stop doing so. In Trump's address to the U.N. assembly, in which he said that the war was “not making Russia look good,” he also blasted China and India for what he said was being the “primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil.” But, he added, NATO countries had “inexcusably not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products. Think of it: They’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one?" - Politico
It wasn’t a great day for Donald Trump at UN Headquarters Tuesday. First the escalator broke down just as the Trumps set foot on it, forcing them to climb an entire flight of stairs. Then (according to Trump), the teleprompter wasn’t working properly. And then - Trump’s rambling speech to the UN was briefly dubbed into Portuguese on live TV, The Daily Beast reported, sparking a “MAGA meltdown” as a foreign voice overtook Trumps. Some MAGA fringes suggested the UN was attempting to silence Trump during his 50-minute speech.
Trump complained about London Mayor Sadiq Khan, falsely claiming that the city’s first Muslim leader hoped to install Islamic code. “I look at London where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it has been so changed. So changed,” Trump said. “Now they want to go to sharia law, but you’re in a different country, you can’t do that.” - Daily Beast
Trump took aim at European countries which he said were in "serious trouble" due to illegal immigration, reprising a theme from his first term when he called European cities "hell holes." He added: "When your prisons are full of asylum seekers who repaid kindness with crime, it is time to end the failed experiment of open borders," he said. "Your countries are going to hell."
A top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to delight in Trump admonishing European leaders. Kirill Dmitriev, a close Putin aide who’s met several times with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, posted an image to social media showing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen watching stonefaced as the president spoke - Politico
US President Donald Trump said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter the alliance's airspace as he began a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is seeking more pressure on Moscow to end its war against Ukraine. Speaking to reporters gathered around the two leaders, who were meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 23, Trump said "Yes I do" when asked if he would support shooting down Russian aircraft if they are found inside NATO airspace. He said the involvement of the United States in such action would depend on the circumstances. Trump's answers follow a series of recent incursions by Russian fighter jets and drones into alliance airspace in countries including Poland and Estonia - RFE/RL
Also, in an abrupt change showing his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump said Ukraine could win back all of its territory from Russia with the help of its European allies. Trump has previously said both sides would have to cede land to end the war. Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014. "After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote on social media. Zelensky noted the "big shift" in Trump's comments while speaking alone at a news conference, adding that the US leader's understanding of the situation on the ground in Ukraine is now much clearer - RFE/RL
“It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them. I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal” - Donald Trump
Deadly Israeli air attacks have intensified in Gaza City and ground forces have advanced in the south of the city, killing at least 36 Palestinians across the enclave, Al Jazeera reported. Gaza’s Health Ministry has warned that patients are facing “certain death” as hospitals in the besieged territory may have to shutter vital departments within “a few days” due to fuel shortages. In his UNGA address, Donald Trump did not devote a single sentence to the situation in Gaza - or the growing number of major UN states recognizing Palestinian statehood (leaders of six countries, including France, have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood).
Thousands of protesters and strikers calling for solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets in Italy on Monday, with some storming Milan’s central train station and clashing violently with police. Italy’s grassroots unions, which represent hundreds of thousands of people ranging from schoolteachers to metalworkers, called for a 24-hour general strike in both public and private sectors, including public transportation, trains, schools and ports. The strike caused disruptions across the country, with long delays for national trains and limited public transport in major cities, including Rome - AP
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 65,382 people and wounded 166,985 since October 2023. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.
Drone sightings closed airports in Norway and Denmark, with Europe already on alert after airspace violations by Russian aircraft. Two or three large drones hovered over Copenhagen Airport for hours, and the Danish prime minister said she could not “rule out” Russian involvement. Russian drones and fighter jets have flown over Estonian, Polish, and Romanian territory in recent days. NATO has pledged increased defenses in the wake of the violations and vowed further cooperation with Ukraine, which has developed cheap anti-air weapons to bring down inexpensive drones. The Polish foreign minister told Moscow: “If another missile or aircraft enters our space,” it might be shot down, so “please don’t come here to whine about it.” - Semafor
Hong Kong is being lashed by hurricane-force winds and heavy rain as Super Typhoon Ragasa edges closer to the city, with the Observatory upgrading the storm warning to the highest-level No 10 signal at 2.40am on Wednesday, just one hour after issuing the No 9 alert. Maximum sustained wind speeds near Ragasa’s centre earlier reached 220km/h (137mph). The forecaster has warned the weather will be “persistently adverse” on Wednesday with frequent heavy showers and thunderstorms, while seas will be rough with swells and overtopping waves over the shoreline, which will be particularly significant along the eastern and southern coasts. All kindergarten, primary and secondary school classes for Wednesday have been cancelled. At least 700 flights have also been cancelled - SCMP
Beijing has been forced to foot the bill for hugely expensive renovations at New York’s iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel. That’s because Chinese businessman Wu Xiaohui, who agreed to pay nearly $2 billion for the aging hotel, far above its estimated value, was arrested in China on financial crimes in 2017—forcing Beijing to assume control of the project, The Wall Street Journal reported. Wu envisioned transforming the 1.6 million-square-foot landmark into a combination of luxury condos and hotel rooms under Hilton’s management. What began as an aggressive three-year renovation stretched into an eight-year ordeal, with costs swelling to roughly $6 billion after factoring in construction overruns, union buyouts, and years of lost revenue while the property sat closed. But the overhaul continued under state-backed ownership. Construction firms gutted and rebuilt much of the property, while preserving landmarked interiors like the ornate lobby and ballroom. Upgrades included new elevators, electrical and plumbing systems, and thousands of windows. This fall, the Waldorf is reopening with 375 hotel rooms, 372 condominiums, and nightly rates starting at $1,500, with Hilton touting it as the crown jewel of its global brand.
The journals….
