Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations

Donald Trump has a penchant for branding and in his speech he gave Artificial Intelligence a new name: Super Intelligence.

"The use of the word artificial makes it sound fake," he explains. "It's not fake, it's actually amazing. But we have to be careful," he adds. "Welcome to the new world of super intelligence - SI," he goes on to say.

Trump has previously argued that whoever wins AI, wins, and he is firmly against regulation. But that puts him at odds with many here.

The question is whether the slow pace of diplomacy can keep up with AI’s rapid development.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Trump has just brought up the war in Ukraine, promising that both sides have "had it" and that a negotiated end to the conflict is around the corner.

It is not clear what leads him to believe this, particularly as Ukraine and Russia trade tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes deep within each other's territory.

The president has been making similar promises, repeatedly, since early last year at the beginning of his term. At points in April and May, White House officials such as the current UN ambassador, Mike Waltz, were even suggesting that a ceasefire could be weeks away. It wasn't.

At last year's Unga, Trump surprised everyone by claiming that Russia was a "paper tiger" and that he believed, at least then, that Ukraine might be able to take back all the territory it had lost to Russian occupation.

We don't know whether that's still his assessment - but Trump is meeting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky later today, and many around the world will be watching to see whether Trump provides any insight on why he appears to be optimistic.

Trump says he has a big decision to make over whether a deal will be made with Iran which "lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before".

On the other hand, Trump says he could "annihilate the Islamic Republic", and "never give them a chance to destroy people and countries again".

"I believe we will make a deal right after the election because it doesn't make sense for them not to," Trump says.

Trump says he wants to express his gratitude to the United Nations Security Council for their unanimous support of "our 20 point Gaza peace plan and for officially approving the Board of Peace".

He says nearly 30 countries have joined the board, and thanks member nations for contributing millions of dollars in relief.

He goes on to say that the US is working closely with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, adding that "we will get that done, more quickly than people understand".

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Trump, quite evidently, does not have a high opinion of the United Nations, its current format, or its role in the world. Few, if any, expected a warm and jovial speech.

From my vantage point above the assembly, I can see very little reaction from those below. Most are staring straight ahead, with a few jotting notes. His promise of a nuclear-free Iran, however, resulted in a smattering of applause.

The White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles was nodding quietly, sat beside Secretary Bessent.

Trump's speech will be largely recognisable to those to follow the White House closely. His talking points are familiar, such as his claims of a military victory over Iran, his promises of a flourishing US economy and lower oil prices, and "eight wars" ended through the threat of tariffs.

The main question many will have will be what Trump means that he is considering "annihilating" Iran's Islamic Republic - and whether that is a change in strategy or a ploy to revive negotiations.

Sarah Smith
Reporting from the United Nations

As Donald Trump talks about his Board of Peace ending the war in Gaza, it's worth remembering that he once suggested the Board of Peace could take over from the United Nations.

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations

Speeches from the podium might be delivered in front of global delegates, but they are always aimed first and foremost at a domestic audience.

And that is especially true as Donald Trump looks ahead to the midterm elections.

His opening remarks touched on US employment and the poverty rate, cutting regulation and taxes, the stock market and border security.

President Trump says the US is leading in virtually everything and the future is bright before turning to making his case for the war in Iran, which is unpopular with US voters.

But he insists he will give no credence to the election when it comes to how he will approach Iran.

Sarah Smith
Reporting from the United Nations

By touting his achievements on the economy, on immigration and the border and claiming a drop in violent crime, it sounds like Donald Trump is addressing voters in the midterm elections rather than leaders in the United Nations General Assembly.

Image source, Reuters

US President Donald Trump has just started speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The leader of the United States, the host nation of the Unga, always speaks early on. Other world leaders set to address the UN today include France's Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and - later in the day - UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

We'll bring you the key lines here and you can also follow along by clicking watch live at the top of this page.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter, at the United Nations

I've just arrived at the United Nations, where the White House press pool has been put in a box overlooking the assembly.

It's crowded in this room, but from where I'm standing, I can clearly see President Lula speaking, and I caught a brief glimpse of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent taking a seat.

A few minutes ago, we were given brief excerpts of President Trump's speech - in which he sticks largely to the talking points that the White House had previewed.

Among the primary talking points is Iran, with Trump arguing that the US-Israeli attacks that began in April prevented the "slaughter" that could ensue from a nuclear-armed Iran backing terrorist groups.

The excerpts we've seen are also heavy on his "America First" agenda - as well as on praise for his own ability to govern.

"While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them. While others have talked of courage, America has shown it," he is expected to say. "While others have promised strength, I have used it to make America the most powerful country in the world."

We will bring you more details on the speech shortly.

Tom Bateman
Reporting from the United Nations

Here in the General Assembly hall just ahead of Trump's speech, President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken a seat at the head of the Ukrainian delegation - he’s directly below where I’m watching in the press booths.

Another notable arrival is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is in the back row of the US delegation’s seats.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi hasn’t come back to his seat, which is currently filled by a more junior Iranian official - Nasser Assadi Nazari.

Sarah Smith
North America editor, reporting from the United Nations

Donald Trump has no respect for the United Nations. He makes that very clear every time he visits. But he does like the platform it provides. From the UN’s marble podium he can list what he sees as America’s achievements and criticise the policies and actions of other nations.

In years past he has attacked allies as well as adversaries. This year he intends to talk about how he is reshaping the world and his administration’s efforts to prevent the UN and what he will call “other globalist institutions” from infringing on American sovereignty.

It sounds like he intends to be quite confrontational. Many of the world leaders listening to him may find it very uncomfortable

Image source, REUTERS

"It is an honour to be at the United Nations," Donald Trump tells reporters as he arrives for the UN General Assembly in New York.

"We're making progress, our country is doing really well," he added.

Tom Bateman
Reporting from the United Nations

Some of the Iranian delegation have just left their seats in the break after Guterres finished speaking.

From where I’m sitting in the General Assembly hall I could see the Iranian delegation, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He looked deep in conversation at one point during Guterres’ speech.

The Trump administration said last week it was granting visas to Iranian officials, which included Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian.

However, it said they would be placed under travel restrictions and banned from buying “luxury” goods in New York. We’ll try to keep an eye on the delegation ahead of Trump’s speech.

Across the Middle East, Guterres says "conflicts are cascading and so-called ceasefires have amounted to little more than lesser fires with civilians continuing to pay the price".

"Enough is enough" he says, as he calls on the world leaders in the assembly hall to help encourage de-escalation and dialogue in the region.

"Let's send a clear message from us all - the fighting must stop, humanitarian aid must flow, and navigational rights and freedom must be fully restored in accordance with international law," Guterres adds.

The UN chief also says the world must not "lose sight of the devastating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory".

He says that all parties must comply with international law, adding that violence, displacement and settlement expansion by Israel in the occupied West Bank "are bulldozing the path to peace and raising the spectre of ethnic cleansing".

"We cannot allow the two state solution to disappear before our eyes," Guterres says.

To hearty applause, António Guterres insists that Africa be given at least one seat on the UN Security Council.

"A 21st Century Security Council without permanent African seats is unjust and indefensible," he tells leaders, adding: "This must change."

The Security Council - whose five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the UK and the US - has long been criticised for representing realities that prevailed at the end of World War Two, when much of Africa was still under colonial rule.

The 10 non-permanent members of the body are allocated by region, but unlike the five permanent members, they do not have the power of veto.

The African Union has long been pushing for the continent to have two permanent representatives on the council and an additional two seats as non-permanent representatives.

Image source, Reuters

In his remarks opening the UN General Assembly, Secretary General António Guterres tells the gathered leaders that "humans are increasingly handing power to machines", warning that with rapidly advancing AI, "artificial agents [are] going rogue and lethal autonomous weapons going from science fiction to military reality".

He says we are "clearly moving towards a multipolar world", but says there are different ways it can take shape. The first way, Guterres says, is through fragmentation and a world of "rising tension and deepening mistrust".

Guterres says there is another path - "a world in which multicentres of influence co-exist with a common framework of international law and shared rules".

Guterres adds that our future will be shaped by how we address "four great tests of power" - the power over war and peace, the power that "concentrates wealth and drives inequality", the power "fuelling climate chaos" and the power unleashed by artificial intelligence.

US President Donald Trump is expected at the podium in about 30 minutes.

According to one US official, Trump's speech will focus on US power and the president's efforts to use it to reshape the world.

He is expected to touch on a variety of issues including the US conflict with Iran, the newly agreed deal on security in Greenland, and foreign policy issues in the Western Hemisphere.

As with his speech last year, the president is also expected to be highly critical of his hosts, the United Nations, and other multilateral institutions which his administration has previously accused of pushing a radical left-leaning agenda.

We will bring you live coverage of Trump's speech on this page. Stay with us.

Tom Bateman
Reporting from the United Nations

I’m currently in the UN General Assembly hall, in one of the booths around the side for press, overlooking the vast semi-circular hall.

A few UN staff holding bells just went round clanging them to get everyone to sit down, finally silencing the cacophony of the delegates from more than 190 countries chattering away.

They're now listening. Antonio Guterres is standing up to make his valedictory speech as secretary general.

In his opening remarks he says that "faultlines in our world are widening".

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations

This is the last time Antonio Guterres will open the UN General Debate with his speech as secretary general. His term ends on 31 December and a number of candidates to replace him are here this week trying to network and lobby delegates for the job.

Guterres’s critics argue that he focused on existential threats such as climate change and AI far more than on the core mission of the organisation - conflict resolution.

His supporters argue he navigated the UN through several years of two Trump administrations, the Covid pandemic and major wars while limiting the fallout.

Ahead of the Unga, Guterres declined to discuss his legacy, only sharing that he believes the UN has achieved more gender parity under his term.

He said if anyone needs to offer a “mea culpa” to the world though, it’s the leaders who have failed to find consensus, including the divided and paralysed UN Security Council which holds real power to authorise sanctions or military action.

His address to world leaders today will argue that all of the problems facing society boil down to power - who has it and who is denied it. He will ask those gathered in the hall if they will act to ensure power is governed by law or by force, by co-operation or coercion.