The recent 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly was significantly overshadowed by the formidable presence and controversial rhetoric of former US President Donald Trump, whose extraordinary 58-minute speech created a profound gravitational pull on global politics. Even before his address, supporters of the UN's values recognized the challenges ahead; afterward, they confronted the stark reality that the world's superpower appeared intent on dismantling the very foundations of multilateralism.

The tone for Trump's fiery tirade was seemingly set by a pre-speech incident where he and First Lady Melania Trump were reportedly forced to walk up a broken escalator at the UN headquarters. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed UN staff had deliberately turned off the escalator to embarrass the President, a report corroborated by The Times, suggesting a prank by staff to make him walk, telling him they 'ran out of money.'

Trump himself later fumed, 'All I got from the United Nations was an escalator on the way up that stopped in the middle… If the first lady wasn't in great shape, she would've fallen.' He also complained about a 'bad teleprompter,' asserting these were the 'two things I got from the United Nations.'

Trump's speech itself was a blistering attack on several fronts. He asserted that the UN was 'funding an assault' on Western countries through immigration, warning that Europe was 'going to hell' due to what he termed an 'invasion of illegal aliens.'

He criticized the 'failed experiment of open borders' and specifically targeted London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, whom he called a 'terrible, terrible mayor,' alleging that 'Now they want to go to Sharia law,' a claim dismissed as bigoted by Khan's office. Trump also dismissed climate change as a 'hoax' and 'the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,' criticizing the UK for 'ruining that beautiful Scottish and English countryside with windmills and massive solar panels,' and urging them to exploit North Sea oil reserves instead of pursuing what he called the 'green energy scam.'

Furthermore, Trump questioned the very purpose of the United Nations, stating, 'All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter. It's empty words, and empty words don't solve war.' He boasted of having 'ended seven unendable wars' without any UN assistance, including brokering peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Israel and Iran.

He condemned countries, including the UK, that recognized a Palestinian state, calling it a 'reward' for Hamas's 'horrible atrocities' and urging the release of hostages for peace. On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, he expressed frustration, stating that NATO nations should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace,' and pressed European allies to cease purchasing Russian oil and gas.

Reactions from world leaders and delegates were swift and often critical. Immediately after Trump's address, the General Assembly heard from the presidents of two large Muslim states. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto received strong applause for asserting, 'Might cannot be right; right must be right. No one country can bully the whole of the human family.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insisted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was 'completely out of control.'

Before Trump, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a sophisticated warning against new authoritarians, noting a 'clear parallel between multilateralism’s crisis and the weakening of democracy.' He highlighted that the 'tyranny of the veto sabotages the very reason for the UN’s existence,' and that 'anti-democratic forces are trying to subjugate institutions and stifle freedoms.' South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, directly countered Trump, insisting the climate crisis was a real threat to global humanity.

The speech also underscored the urgent question of how the world will operate without reliable American leadership. This concern is not limited to the Global South but extends to Europe, Asia, and the Gulf. While one response is the alliance of autocrats exemplified by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, another is a nascent 'anti-Trump alliance' led by Democrat leaders and figures like Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Sánchez has been vocal in defending migration and open societies, stating, 'Open societies are the best antidote to fanaticism,' and 'Losing the freedom to dissent is opening the door to tyranny.' He has also worked with Lula and Chile’s Gabriel Boric to form an alliance, 'In Defense of Democracy,' focusing on reinforcing multilateralism and the rule of law.

However, efforts to unite the Global South and Europe have been hampered by accusations of double standards, particularly regarding Europe's outrage over Russia's invasion of Ukraine versus perceived inaction on Israel's actions in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his address, acknowledged that 'multilateralism was suffering' and 'the pillars of peace and prosperity were buckling.' He warned that 'multipolarity without effective multilateral institutions courts chaos,' echoing historical lessons. Trump's second-term policies, including his administration's moves to pull the US out of the World Health Organization and the UN climate pact, severely curtail development assistance and wield sanctions against foreign judges, further illustrating his nationalist approach. Guterres warned that these aid cuts were 'wreaking havoc' globally.

The greater danger remains that individual nation-states, driven by internal politics and economic assessments, will either combat or yield to 'Trump’s shakedown diplomacy,' where trade, security, and immigration are mixed to maximize leverage.