Trump Shrugs Off Climate Change in UN Address, Sparks Criticism

Trump Dismisses Climate Change at UN, Calls It “Greatest Con Job”

Climate change denial took center stage at the United Nations General Assembly last week when US President Donald Trump dismissed decades of scientific evidence, calling global warming “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” In a fiery speech, Trump branded carbon footprints “nonsense” and UN climate predictions “wrong” and made by “stupid people.”

His remarks stood in stark contrast to the global scientific consensus linking fossil fuel emissions to rising temperatures, extreme weather, and mounting economic losses. According to UN data, climate-related disasters caused at least $2.8 trillion in damages between 2000 and 2019, with annual losses projected to reach $1.7–$3.1 trillion by 2050. Last year, global temperatures surpassed the 1.5°C warming threshold set under the Paris Agreement, making it the hottest year since records began in 1850.

Trump’s stance has also drawn scrutiny for its alignment with fossil fuel interests. Industry disclosures show companies spent nearly $445 million on his 2023–24 re-election campaign and contributed $19 million to his inaugural fund in January 2025. Critics argue this influence has shaped Trump into one of the world’s most vocal opponents of climate action, with policies that disproportionately impact the planet’s poorest and most climate-vulnerable communities.