President Donald Trump opened his United Nations General Assembly speech Tuesday by joking about a broken teleprompter, drawing laughter from world leaders.
“I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” Trump said as he took the podium, earning chuckles from the assembled delegates.
Trump threatened the teleprompter operator. “I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless, and that way you speak more from the heart. I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he said, drawing more laughter.
At the UN, Trump’s teleprompter failed—and he didn’t miss a beat. Imagine Biden in that spot. @POTUS: "I don't mind making this speech without a teleprompter — because the teleprompter is not working… I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big… pic.twitter.com/l6456SAJ0l
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 23, 2025
Trump revealed another mishap during his arrival at UN headquarters. He and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto an escalator that stopped working mid-ride.
“All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle,” Trump said. “If the first lady wasn’t in great shape she would’ve fallen.”
Trump summarized his UN experience: “These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.”
The teleprompter was fixed during the speech. Trump quipped, “And by the way, it’s working now.”
Trump read from paper notes while the teleprompter remained broken during the opening portion of his nearly hour-long address.
After the opening jokes, Trump delivered remarks on peace agreements, criticized European nations over immigration, and called the global climate change agenda a “con job.”
Trump criticized the UN itself, recalling his failed 2005 bid to renovate the organization’s New York headquarters. “Many years ago, a very successful real estate developer in New York, known as Donald J. Trump, I bid on the renovation and rebuilding of this very United Nations complex,” Trump said. “I said at the time that I would do it for $500 million, rebuilding and everything, it would be beautiful.”
Trump said the UN operates with “empty words, and empty words don’t solve wars,” though he added, “The UN has such tremendous potential, I’ve always said it.”
Trump’s motorcade arrived at UN headquarters at 9:47 a.m. for the 80th session of the General Assembly. Following his speech, Trump will meet with world leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.