NEW YORK, Sept 23, 2025 – President Donald J. Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly today, describing the event as a “great honor” despite facing technical difficulties, including a broken teleprompter and a malfunctioning escalator. The speech, delivered earlier today at 15:43 UTC, focused heavily on immigration and energy policies, which Trump hailed as “the absolute best” topics addressed during the forum.
In his address, the President claimed the speech was “very well received” and emphasized his long-standing advocacy on these issues. “I hope everybody gets to watch it! The teleprompter was broken and the escalator came to a sudden halt as we were riding up to the podium, but both of those events probably made the speech more interesting than it would have been otherwise,” Trump remarked. He concluded with his signature slogan, “Make America Great Again!” while noting the UN’s “somewhat faulty” equipment.
The speech comes amid ongoing debates about U.S. immigration policy, with the Trump administration recently announcing plans for mass deportations set to begin next month. The UN session also saw contrasting views, as other global leaders criticized inaction on climate change—a topic Trump has previously dismissed as a “con job.”
Technical issues during the event echoed similar challenges faced by the UN in recent years. A 2023 incident saw a simultaneous translation system crash during a key address, while the escalator malfunction underscores ongoing infrastructure woes at the UN headquarters. A $2.1 billion renovation project, initiated in 2010, remains incomplete, raising questions about the facility’s readiness to host such high-profile gatherings.
The White House shared the speech details on X, accompanied by an image of Trump at the podium, sparking a range of reactions online. Supporters praised the address, with one user calling it “excellent” and a sign that “America is Back,” while critics labeled it “pathetically embarrassing” and pointed to the technical failures as symbolic of broader issues.
As the 80th session of the UN General Assembly continues, Trump’s speech is likely to fuel further discussion on U.S. foreign policy and the state of international cooperation.