//Trump’s 2025 UN General Assembly Speech: Body Language, Global Reactions, and Why World Leaders No Longer Laugh//
When Donald Trump first walked onto the world political stage in 2017, many global leaders, diplomats, and foreign journalists did not take him seriously. His style was different from the typical restrained and cautious approach that most American presidents had followed in global forums. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is usually a place for carefully worded speeches filled with diplomacy, balance, and cautious optimism. Yet, when Trump gave his first major UN speech in 2018, the hall erupted with laughter as he praised his own achievements and declared that his administration had accomplished more than almost any other in U.S. history. The reaction embarrassed the White House but also revealed something deeper: at that moment, many world leaders did not yet consider Trump a figure to fear or take fully seriously.
Fast forward to September 24, 2025. Trump is back at the UNGA podium, this time as the returning president of the United States after his re-election. His 58-minute speech, delivered in his familiar combative style, was met with silence. There was no burst of laughter, no murmuring, and no open expressions of disbelief. Instead, world leaders listened, stone-faced, as Trump attacked the UN for promoting what he called a “globalist migration agenda,” accused European nations of “going to hell” because of immigration, and repeated his promises to protect U.S. sovereignty above all else. The only moment of humor came early, when he joked about a malfunctioning teleprompter, saying, “whoever is operating this thing is in big trouble.” The audience chuckled briefly, but the rest of the address unfolded in icy stillness.
According to psychologist and body language expert Peter Collett, this shift in tone tells a much bigger story about how Trump is now perceived globally. “Whereas formerly it was a source of amusement when he puffed himself up, now almost everything he has to say has to be taken seriously. It’s no longer a joke,” Collett explained. The change, he argued, reflects Trump’s transformation from a political newcomer viewed as an eccentric disruptor into a powerful global actor whose actions carry serious consequences for allies and rivals alike.
Body Language as a Weapon: Trump’s “Alpha” Style
Collett and other experts note that Trump’s use of body language has always been central to his political identity. His facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture are not random but carefully cultivated to project dominance. He slows his movements to give a sense of weight and inevitability. He leans into lecterns as if to command them. He pauses with dramatic effect, letting silence fill the room until his words seem heavier. “Generally, he uses his body language to try and lord it over other people and play the role of the alpha,” Collett said.
This style was evident in his past physical encounters with leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Shinzo Abe. In 2017, his handshake with Macron turned into a near wrestling match, as both men gripped tightly and refused to let go, trying to assert dominance. His handshake with Abe famously lasted 19 seconds, with Trump patting Abe’s hand repeatedly as the Japanese leader’s face showed visible discomfort. These physical gestures may appear awkward, but they are deliberate signals that Trump intends to control the stage, whether in a personal meeting or before a global audience.
In his 2025 UNGA speech, Trump again used his body to reinforce his words. He shifted his weight slowly, leaned forward when making threats, and raised his chin when declaring America’s strength. These signals, Collett explained, are “primitive, almost primate” forms of communication designed to establish who is “top dog.” In a room full of leaders who are themselves used to projecting power, Trump’s refusal to soften his image makes him stand out even more.
The Silence of the Hall: A Message in Itself
The most striking part of Trump’s latest UNGA speech was not what he said but how the audience reacted—or rather, didn’t react. Silence can be powerful, and in this case, it reflected a combination of respect, caution, and perhaps fear. In 2018, laughter was possible because Trump was still seen as an outsider, a politician who might not last and whose words could be dismissed as theater. In 2025, after nearly a decade of political survival and a return to the White House, no one doubts that his decisions matter.
Ned Price, a former U.S. diplomat and deputy to the American UN representative under the Biden administration, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Trump is speaking to his political base, hitting each of his campaign trail hits, while addressing a room of leaders who’d rather be just about anywhere else.” His observation captured the strange duality of Trump’s speech: it was aimed less at the diplomats in front of him than at the millions of viewers watching from home in the United States. Yet the silence of the audience, their refusal to react in visible ways, signaled recognition of Trump’s power. They could not afford to openly mock him as they once did.
Collett suggested that audience reactions are not always visible. Cameras usually focus on the speaker, not on every delegate’s face. It is possible that some delegates smirked, exchanged glances, or quietly rolled their eyes. “There may have been very silent sniggering,” Collett admitted. But the overall effect was one of restraint, as if the entire hall understood that open displays of mockery could carry diplomatic costs.
A Changed Political Zeitgeist
To understand why Trump’s latest UNGA speech landed differently, it is important to remember the political context. In 2018, Trump was still in his first term, and many leaders thought he might be a temporary disruption in the global order. His slogan “America First” was viewed as an experiment in nationalist politics that might fade after four years. Laughter, in that setting, reflected disbelief that such a style could last.
By 2025, however, the “political zeitgeist” has changed, as Collett put it. Populism, nationalism, and anti-globalist movements have spread across the world. From Europe to Latin America, politicians who echo Trump’s style have risen in power. Global cooperation is weaker, and trust in multilateral institutions like the UN has declined. In this environment, Trump’s words no longer sound like an anomaly but part of a larger shift. Leaders may dislike his bluntness, but they cannot dismiss it.
Speaking Beyond the Room: Trump’s Real Audience
Another reason Trump’s speeches feel different is that they are not primarily directed at the UN hall. Trump knows his true audience is his political base in the United States. His supporters expect him to attack global elites, criticize international organizations, and portray himself as the defender of American sovereignty. His speech at the 2025 UNGA hit all those notes. The global audience on television and social media saw a president who refuses to conform to diplomatic etiquette.
In that sense, Trump’s UN speeches function as campaign rallies with a global stage. The dignitaries in the room may remain silent, but the clips circulate widely on U.S. television and online platforms, where they energize his supporters. His critics may see this as inappropriate, but his base views it as proof that Trump does not bow to international pressure.
Why World Leaders Now Take Trump Seriously
The deeper reason for the silence at the 2025 UNGA lies in Trump’s unpredictability. World leaders have learned over the past eight years that Trump’s words can quickly translate into action. When he threatens tariffs, they may come. When he promises to reduce military support, it may vanish overnight. When he accuses allies of weakness, he often follows up with real policy changes. His track record has shown that he is not just a performer but a president willing to disrupt alliances, agreements, and institutions.
This unpredictability creates caution. Leaders may disagree with Trump, but they cannot dismiss him. They are forced to calculate how their countries might be affected by his next move. That calculation produces silence, not laughter.
A Stage No Longer for Jokes
Donald Trump’s return to the UNGA stage in 2025 highlighted just how much the world has changed since his first appearance. The laughter of 2018 has been replaced with watchful silence. His body language, designed to project dominance, reinforces the sense that he is not a leader to be mocked lightly. His words, though familiar, now carry more weight because the international community knows he can act on them.
In the end, the reaction to Trump’s 2025 speech may be remembered less for what he said than for what the audience did not say. No laughter, no applause, no visible defiance—only silence. And in global politics, silence often speaks louder than words.