Donald Trump and his actions, as seen by world leaders
UNITED NATIONS—Regardless of political perspective, no one could argue that the presidency of Donald Trump—and his second term so far in particular—has been anything less than consequential, not only for the United States but for the world.
That hasn’t gone unremarked-upon at the UN General Assembly’s meeting of world leaders, to whom Trump spoke on Tuesday. In marquee speeches and other settings, many of them have mentioned Trump and his policies, be it obliquely or directly.
Here’s a sampling of quotes by leaders and luminaries from around the world this past week at the United Nations talking about Trump and his administration—positive, negative and in between.
France
“Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you! … I would love this weekend to have a short discussion with Qatar and you on the situation in Gaza.”
–French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call to Trump after encountering a road closure because of the US president’s motorcade
China
“A major cause of the current global economic doldrums is the rise in unilateral and protective measures, such as tariff hikes and erection of walls and barriers. We should collaborate more closely to identify and expand convergence of interests, promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and help each other succeed by moving forward in the same direction.”
–Chinese Premier Li Qiang in his General Assembly speech
Argentina
“President Trump of the United States also understands that the time has come to reverse a dynamic that is leading the United States towards a disaster, and we know that a disaster in the United States is a global disaster. His unflinching and successful policy in terms of halting illegal immigration makes that conviction more than clear. … What Donald Trump is also doing is restructuring the terms of international trade in unprecedented fashion. … Furthermore, he’s instituting a cleanup of the institutional capture of the American state.”
–Argentine President Javier Milei in his General Assembly speech
Bolivia
“We have a third cause of the current wars, which is more immediate. That is the obsessive zeal of the new Trump administration to give the United States back its position as a hegemonic power, at the cost of the liberal system, free trade, globalization, and to cause pain and death. For what? To take ownership over natural resources, to take control over commodities for the benefit of an imperial system, and to subordinate the majority of countries for their insatiable thirst for privilege and wealth, and to try to maintain a unipolar order at any cost.”
–Bolivian President Luis Arce in his General Assembly speech
Russia
“In the approaches of the current US administration, we see a desire not only to contribute to ways to realistically resolve the Ukrainian crisis, but also a desire to develop pragmatic cooperation without adopting an ideological stance.”
–Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his General Assembly speech
India
“If climate action itself is questioned, what hope is there for climate justice?”
–Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Armenia
“The role of United States President Donald Trump is decisive in this (Armenia-Azerbaijan) peace process, whose dedication, consistency and principledness made possible what seemed to be impossible.”
–Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his General Assembly speech. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also thanked Trump for his role in the peace initiative and “for opening a new chapter in the US-Azerbaijan relationship.”
Cambodia
“We are grateful that a ceasefire (with Thailand), brokered by US President Trump, effectively halted armed clashes…. However, the ceasefire remains very fragile.”
–Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sokhonn Prak in his General Assembly speech Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow also saluted “President Trump’s strong dedication to peace” while calling the ceasefire “fragile.”
South Korea
“It would be fantastic if (Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) met with each other in the near future. And (South Korean) President Lee Jae-myung made it clear to President Trump that he will not be sitting in the driver’s seat. He asked President Trump to become a peacemaker, and he relegated himself to become a pacemaker. We don’t mind. On the contrary, we want President Trump to exercise his leadership to pull North Korea to dialogue table.”
–South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, in an interview with the Associated Press
