To Save Us From Hell “Your Countries Are Going to Hell”: Trump’s UNGA Speech, Unpacked | Live From UNGA
Sep 24, 2025
Maya Ungar, a UN analyst at the International Crisis Group, shares her insights immediately after Trump's chaotic UNGA speech. She discusses the speech's meandering nature and its implications for U.S. foreign policy, noting the absence of major threats to the UN despite its bizarre anecdotes. Maya evaluates global reactions, particularly to Trump’s critique of various nations, and highlights a potential collaborative point in AI for biosecurity. Overall, the conversation illuminates a significant shift in America’s traditional multilateral leadership role.
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No Immediate UN Exit
- Trump’s speech avoided drastic UN exits or immediate funding cuts that many feared.
- That restraint reduced the short-term threat to UN institutional survival despite harsh rhetoric.
Europe Targeted Over Conflicts
- Trump prioritized migration and green energy critiques over detailed conflict diplomacy.
- This made Europe the clearest geopolitical loser from his remarks.
Renovation Grievance Framing
- Trump recounted losing a bid to renovate UN HQ and mocked 'Terraso' floors instead of marble.
- He used that memory to justify his distrust of the UN's competence and taste.