Fact-Checking Trump's UN General Assembly Speech
Donald Trump's speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York prompted fact-checks by the BBC Verify team. The team focused on key claims made by the former president regarding international conflicts, Sharia law, and illegal immigration into the US. This article will analyze those statements.
Claim 1: Ending "Unendable Wars"
Trump claimed to have "ended seven unendable wars," listing conflicts between: Israel and Iran, Pakistan and India, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Thailand and Cambodia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo. The validity of these claims is questionable.
Many of these conflicts were short-lived, and the sustainability of the peace deals is uncertain. India has minimized the role of the US in resolving a four-day conflict with Pakistan, despite Trump's assertions. Similarly, while the US targeted nuclear sites in Iran in June, halting 12 days of hostilities with Israel, experts note the absence of a permanent peace agreement.
Claim 2: "Sharia Law" in London
Trump criticized London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan, alleging a move towards "Sharia law."
A spokesperson for Khan dismissed the claim as "appalling and bigoted." While Sharia councils exist in the UK, primarily dealing with marriage and financial arbitration within Muslim communities, the government has stated that their rulings are "not legally binding." The existence of these councils doesn't equate to the implementation of Sharia law.
Claim 3: Illegal Immigration "Totally Stopped"
Trump asserted that illegal immigration into the US has "totally stopped."
Data from US Customs and Border Protection indicates a significant decrease in apprehensions of illegal migrants since Trump took office, but not to zero. Monthly apprehensions fell from 28,728 in January 2025 to 5,456 in August. Although Trump exaggerated the number of border crossings during the Biden administration by claiming "Twenty-five million altogether", the Department of Homeland Security estimates there were 11 million "border encounters".
Border crossings did reach record levels, but Trump's numbers are exaggerated.
