Trump to use UN speech to defend Iran war, tout peace efforts

US President Donald Trump will use a UN General Assembly address on Tuesday to argue that the war with Iran prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to tout what he sees as progress ‌toward peace and a global order increasingly aligned with American interests, according to a White House official. Trump is also expected to criticize the UN, highlighting his administration's efforts to prevent the organization and other international bodies from encroaching on US sovereignty or advancing what it views as a left-wing agenda, the White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Trump last year caused a stir with a combative ‌speech at the UN, saying that other countries were "going to hell" for, among other things, climate policy and mass migration. Trump's address, which is scheduled for 9:55 a.m. ET (1355 GMT), comes amid ‌a whirlwind of diplomacy as instability grips the Middle East and the nearly five-year-old war in Ukraine drags on despite his repeated attempts to broker peace.

After his speech, Trump is scheduled to meet with no fewer than 11 world leaders, bilaterally or in group settings. Later on Tuesday, Trump will meet with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and the representatives of the ⁠Gulf states of ​the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait ⁠and Qatar.

In the evening, he may meet dozens more leaders, albeit briefly, during a leaders' reception. Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday. Additions to his Tuesday schedule are possible. The long list of foreign leader meetings reflects ⁠the US president's focus on foreign affairs during his second term, during which he has started multiple wars, questioned longstanding alliances, threatened allies with invasion and sought to broker well over a dozen conflicts, with mixed success.

The US-Israeli ​war against Iran has been particularly consequential, driving up fuel prices globally, dragging down Trump's approval ratings and presenting a challenge for Republicans running in the November 3 congressional midterm election. ⁠On Monday, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Trump's approval rating falling to an all-time low of 32%, as his fellow Republicans soured on his handling of the cost of living. Among the closely watched meetings will be the seven-way gathering with the ⁠Gulf ​leaders, many of whom are alarmed by the recent advances of the Houthis, Iran-backed militants who have captured wide swathes of Yemen, attacked US ally Saudi Arabia and threatened shipping through the strategic Bab el-Mandab Strait.

Political allies and opponents will also be closely watching Trump's first-ever meeting with Venezuela's Rodriguez, who rose to power with the Trump administration's blessing after US forces snatched President Nicolas Maduro ⁠in January and took him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Trump's allies say the US is working with Rodriguez to open Venezuela's oil sector to US investment, but Democrats ⁠and some Republicans say his administration has not ⁠done enough to press for new elections in the South American nation.

During the meeting with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland, its overseas territory, Trump will ink an accord designed to increase US military presence on the island while limiting that of geopolitical adversaries. Danish and Greenland officials hope the ‌accord will put an end ‌to Trump's past comments suggesting he might take Greenland by force.