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

US President Donald Trump opened his UN General Assembly address on Tuesday by touting the strength of the US economy, kicking off a speech in which he was expected to argue that the war with Iran prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon ‌and to promote what he sees as progress toward peace and a global order increasingly aligned with American interests. "I can report to you with pride that America is back, and our country is stronger today than ever before," Trump said.

In addition to defending the decision to attack Iran, Trump was expected to use his speech 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, according to a White House official who spoke 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.