Trump heads to U.N. looking for wins after a rough week

US President Donald Trump speaks about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2026. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Trump is set to address world leaders Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York after a challenging few weeks with a series of legal and political setbacks.

He's also riding a wave of low approval - below 40% - thanks in part to growing concerns about the economic fallout from the Iran war. He's also facing blowback after banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. The news organizations have sued to regain access.

Less than two months from the midterm elections, Trump is looking for wins as he kicks off a high-profile week of diplomacy at the U.N. before hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

In his speech, Trump is expected to paint himself as a peacemaker – highlighting peace deals he's announced around the world while defending his Iran policy.

"The president will highlight how he has, and his administration, have confronted complex problems head-on around the world," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told reporters, adding later. "He will touch on the importance of ensuring that Iran never has a nuclear weapon."

Undoubtedly, leaders will be eager to hear what the U.S. president has to say. He often makes news.

The first time he addressed the U.N. General Assembly in 2017, Trump threatened to totally destroy North Korea. The second year he boasted that his administration had accomplished more than any other in American history. Some leaders laughed out loud.