Trump Addresses UN General Assembly, Tajani Calls for UN Reform

Donald Trump addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, where he railed against supranational organizations like the International Criminal Court.

Trump threatened to annihilate the Iranian state and boasted about seizing Venezuelan oil fields, stating to the victor belong the spoils. He intimated that Cuba would be next and pledged to turbocharge the AI revolution to secure US dominance. His 38-minute speech included outlining a security agreement with Greenland and Denmark and proposing to rename artificial intelligence to super intelligence.

Trump dedicated about five minutes to the Western Hemisphere, praising a January 3, 2026 raid on Caracas that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He asserted the U.S. will no longer permit threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere and would use unmatched military might to protect its interests. Trump also met with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, in his address to the General Assembly, stated the United Nations must regain its ability to be incisive and suggested Security Council reform as a path forward. Tajani noted the UN was founded to prevent widespread violence. Council on Foreign Relations Latin America Fellow Will Freeman characterized Trump's vision for the Americas as might over right, military force over law, and U.S. regional dominance.