Trump Blasts UN Over Immigration, Climate

President Donald Trump issued a combative speech at this morning's United Nations General Assembly, setting aside calls for unity and venting his frustration that the UN hadn’t done more to support his diplomatic efforts. His closing message swept aside some of the UN’s most cherished files: climate change, which Trump repeatedly called a hoax, and uncontrolled migration, which he declared the top political issue of the era.

Bloomberg News Senior White House Correspondent Josh Wingrove joined Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on 'Bloomberg Businessweek Daily' to break it down.

President Donald Trump said he believed NATO nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that violated their airspace and said the US would continue to supply the alliance with weapons as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following recent incursions that have alarmed allies.

“Yes, I do,” Trump said when asked directly by a reporter if NATO allies should take down Russian aircraft during his meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

In a subsequent social-media post, Trump said he believed that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, was positioned not only to fight back but to reclaim all the territory taken by Russia — and perhaps more.

“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!” Trump said.

The exchange embodied Trump’s recent policy of voicing support for Ukraine, even as he continues to emphasize that he wants Europe to take a greater role in efforts to pressure Russia. That’s left allies, who have political and economic barriers to imposing additional tariffs and sanctions on Moscow and its partners, unsure of the extent to which the US is dedicated to assisting Kyiv and punishing the Kremlin.

On Tuesday, Trump declined to say whether the US would support NATO if it engaged Russian planes over its airspace, saying it “depends on the circumstance” but that “we’re very strong toward NATO.”

But in his social media post, he criticized Russia for “fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win.”

“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back on Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s assertion that his country was prepared to down foreign aircraft that enter its territory.

Rubio said he did not think anyone was talking “about shooting down Russian jets unless they’re attacking,” in comments to CBS News earlier Tuesday.

The series of incidents in which Russian aircraft have crossed into the airspace of NATO allies has sparked worry along the alliance’s eastern flank and comes as European partners are pushing Trump to take firmer action against Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine.

Earlier this month, NATO forces shot down Russian drones that crossed into Poland. Last week, Russian fighter jets also entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, further rattling US allies.

Trump in recent days appeared to downplay the severity of the Russian incursions, suggesting at times that he did not know if an earlier incident was an accident or even a “mistake,” while other nations have cast the violations as intentional actions by the Kremlin to test the resolve of Ukraine’s allies. Some allies have questioned if Moscow is attempting to divert the alliance’s resources from supporting Ukraine.

Earlier Tuesday, NATO issued a statement promising a “robust” response to the Russian incursions, saying it would use all options, including military, to defend itself.

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