President Trump’s speech at the United Nations broke my heart. Most of us are used to hearing him say awful things—we often tell ourselves it is simply his manner of speaking. But this time, it was different. The platform and the audience were different; the entire world was listening to the man considered the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. He used the United Nations platform to sell his administration’s agenda, employing arrogance and fear as the basis of national and global policy.
The president boasted about the strength of the American economy and claimed he had rebuilt a country neglected by the previous administration—claims that belonged in Congress rather than at the United Nations.
He then threatened to annihilate Iran, denounced the human rights of immigrants, called for nations to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), and attacked the rights of transgender persons, among many other issues.
The Trump administration has undoubtedly campaigned against these issues both locally and globally. However, it is important to realize that if the president were to use nuclear weapons on Iran, he would be committing war crimes. Of course, he likely believes that no one will hold him accountable—because when it comes to war crimes, the United States, Israel, Russia, and a select few others are above the law.
Sadly, in his speech, President Trump has now expanded this immunity to all war criminals and those who commit crimes against humanity, handing them a “Trump passport” to avoid accountability. This disregard extends to our own war crimes in Iran and Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Because the ICC has “no teeth” according to President Trump, we are entering what may be the darkest age in human history.
Regarding transgender issues, the president inserted a line without explanation before immediately jumping to the persecution of Christians. In doing so, he painted the Christian Right picture suggesting that Christians who oppose transgender justice are persecuted in the same way as those in non-Christian countries.
As for immigration, the president gave other nations permission to follow his government’s treatment of immigrants. With xenophobia on the rise across the globe, his words will be used to harass and destroy innocent lives.
We may have our differences, but I strongly believe these are life-and-death issues. How can we coexist if we do not hold each other accountable for crimes against humanity? How can we ensure that human rights are safeguarded across borders without transnational instruments of accountability? How can we ensure transgender persons are protected unless we have laws that honor their humanity? And how can we provide security for immigrants if we do not have laws that protect them?
Did President Trump speak for you?
From the E-Crier of September 24, 2026. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter.