Trump to Speak at UN General Assembly Amid Ongoing Iran, Gaza and Ukraine Crises

President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and hold side-meeting discussions with a range of world leaders. The remarks are expected to highlight the administration’s approach to the seven-month-old confrontation with Iran, progress on a proposed Gaza-Strip peace plan between Israel and Hamas, and efforts to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told reporters the president will emphasize how his administration has "confronted complex problems head-on around the world" after previous governments "kicked the can" down the road. Waltz said Trump will also discuss measures to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and provide an update on the Gaza peace initiative.

Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will stress that continued business with Iran is "unacceptable, and there will be consequences for it." Rubio is slated to meet other foreign officials on the sidelines of the assembly.

A small Iranian delegation has been granted visas to attend the UN session, though it is unclear whether Trump will meet them. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen expanded attacks on Saudi Arabia, prompting the president to consider, then cancel, a potential strike at the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Trump is expected to meet leaders including the United Kingdom’s prime minister, Japan’s prime minister and several Gulf state officials, and he met French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday. He is also slated for a brief conversation with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez.

The upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House will follow the UN address, keeping U.S.–China relations in focus. Negotiators have been working to restore economic ties after the previous year’s trade dispute and to discuss artificial-intelligence risks. China, the largest buyer of Russian crude, could be affected by a new U.S. law threatening tariffs on major Russian energy customers. Trump dismissed a report that Chinese firms supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a Jordanian base used by U.S. forces.

In addition, a new security agreement for Greenland is expected to be signed in New York, expanding the U.S. military presence there, a move that Denmark and Greenland have previously rejected. The president’s UN appearance will be less accessible to the public than prior sessions.