The immense gravitational influence of Donald Trump and the US economy has significantly impacted the politics of the other 192 countries making up the United Nations. The discussions among these countries have rapidly become centered around how to interact with and challenge this increasingly dark and bizarre presidency.
Before Trump’s 58-minute speech addressing the supposed threats posed by open borders, Sharia law, the UN’s shortcomings, and the “climate hoax,” UN supporters were aware of the challenging situation. However, they now realize the extent to which the world’s superpower seems determined to destroy everything they believe in.
Immediately following Trump’s performance at the UN General Assembly, leaders of Turkey and Indonesia expressed their opinions on the destructive nature of Trump’s presidency. When addressing the UN, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is out of control, and those silent in the face of his barbarity are complicit.
Before Trump’s address, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned about the threat posed by new authoritarians, saying that multilateralism is at a critical juncture and that anti-democratic forces are trying to undermine institutions and suppress freedoms. Other leaders, such as South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung, also addressed the UN to emphasize the seriousness of the climate crisis.
However, the Trump speech also highlighted a vital question: how the world will function without reliable American leadership. This question is relevant not just for the global south but also for Europe, Asia, and the Gulf. One possible response is the alliance of autocrats, led by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, which was on display in Beijing at the beginning of the month. Another response is the forming anti-Trump alliance led by Democrat leaders, which operates independently of the UN due to the organization’s financial abandonment and gridlock caused by competing power blocks.
The US president’s claim that he ended seven “unwinnable wars” without the UN’s help is absurd, but it is true that the UN Security Council is no longer capable of resolving conflicts. UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged that multilateralism is suffering and that multipolarity without effective multilateral institutions could lead to chaos.
Efforts to develop a strong anti-Trumpian alliance that would bring together the global south and Europe have been weakened by the issue of double standards – particularly Europe’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine compared to Israel’s destruction of Gaza. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has become the European leader most willing to stand up to Trump, emphasizing the importance of migration and open societies as an antidote to fanaticism.
However, global alliances are still ill-coordinated, and there is a danger that each nation-state will make its own decisions on how to confront or submit to American power. Ultimately, each country recognizes the strength of Trump’s shakedown diplomacy, which maximizes his leverage by combining trade, security, or immigration into a single negotiation.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/24/trump-un-general-assembly-speech-analysis
