Trump to address UN General Assembly as Carney becomes voice of multilateralism

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver a speech at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, despite his administration's attempts to undermine multilateralism and target allies with threats and tariffs. This year's Assembly theme is "Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all."

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has emerged as a prominent advocate for multilateralism amid Trump's attacks, is expected to attend the opening ceremony on Tuesday. Trump has called for significant reforms at the UN and has withheld funding, causing turmoil within the institution. The Trump administration has also withdrawn from several UN organizations, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO.

Carney has been traveling the world, urging middle powers to unite in defense of shared interests and occasionally shared values, rather than shared institutions. For nearly a year, he has been building a bridge between the European Union and the Pacific Rim trading bloc CPTPP to help middle powers resist economic coercion by the United States and China.

After the recent trade negotiations failed acrimoniously, the Trump administration may pressure Carney further. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened the door to Canada becoming the first "associate member" of the European Union, which Trump labeled as a "hostile act." Carney could face additional pressure when he co-hosts an event on the two-state solution with France and the United Kingdom, occurring one year after the recognition of an independent Palestinian state by 150 countries.

Trump is likely to denigrate the United Nations in his Tuesday speech. In his 2025 address to the General Assembly, he criticized the UN for failing to end wars, claiming that dialogue alone cannot resolve conflicts. Trump has also repeatedly claimed he was the victim of a UN conspiracy after an escalator he was riding at UN headquarters stopped moving and his TelePrompTer malfunctioned.