US President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday was riddled with inaccuracies and exaggerations. He recycled familiar — and wholly inaccorate —talking points about climate change, , immigration, and his own diplomatic record, and dished out fresh falsehoods about the UN’s New York headquarters.
While a full fact check of every one of his incorrect statements goes beyond this article’s scope, examined several of his key remarks.
Did Trump really bid $500 million to rebuild the UN headquarters?
Claim: “I bid to renovate the UN headquarters for $500 million (€426 million). Instead, they spent $2 billion to $4 billion, with massive overruns.”
DW Fact check: Misleading.
Trump has long claimed he could have renovated the UN headquarters at a fraction of the actual cost. In 2001, he floated a $500 million estimate to the press, and in 2005 he told Congress he could complete the job for up to $700 million, according to US media reports.
However, DW found no record in the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) or official procurement archives showing that the Trump Organization ever submitted a formal bid for the project. Instead, the UN selected Skanska, a Swedish firm, as construction manager in 2007 to oversee multiple subcontracts.
It’s true that the Capital Master Plan — the project to renovate the UN New York Headquarters — faced delays and cost overruns, with final expenses exceeding $2 billion. But Trump’s claim of “$2 billion to $4 billion” inflates the figure: Authoritative UN and US governmentfigures place the final cost between $2.15 billion to $2.31 billion, not $4 billion.
Did Trump end seven wars during his presidency?
Claim: “I ended seven wars … Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda … Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
DW Fact check: False
Trump claimed to have ended seven conflicts across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. In reality, many of the disputes he listed remain unresolved or are still volatile, and his role in others is disputed.
Egypt and Ethiopia were never at war during Trump’s presidency. Their dispute centers on , which will reduce their Nile water share. Talks collapsed in June 2025. Trump publicly sided with Egypt, earning praise from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and criticism from Ethiopian officials, who said his comments undermined their rights. Meanwhile, regional stakes have risen as Egypt reportedly armed Somalia amid frictions with Ethiopia.
Serbia and Kosovo were not in active conflict. Trump’s 2020 agreement focused on economic relations rather than peace. Serbia denied any plans to attack Kosovo, and tensions remain, with and NATO peacekeepers still stationed in the region. Serbia and Kosovo have never signed a final peace treaty.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, violence persists despite a 2024 agreement brokered during Trump’s administration.
Experts warn that tensions between Israel and Iran remain unresolved and may flare again. Both Israeli and Iranian military and security officials have publicly issued warnings of renewed conflict.
The US president’s sweeping claim of ending “seven wars” significantly overstates his record.
Did Germany abandon green energy for nuclear and fossil fuels?
Claim: “Germany went back to fossil fuels and nuclear, and is doing well after abandoning the green agenda.”
DW Fact check: Misleading.
Germany permanently , completing a decades-long phaseout. While coal plants were , coal use . In 2024, renewables reached a record 63% share of German electricity, reinforcing its status as a clean energy leader.
Germany has opened to reduce reliance on Russian gas, but there has been no “return” to nuclear power.
Are renewables ineffective and overpriced?
Claim: “Renewables are a joke. Wind turbines don’t work, cost too much, and are built in China, which hardly uses them.”
DW Fact check: False.
are now among the cheapest new energy sources. A 2024 report by Lazard, a global financial advisory and asset management firm, found that unsubsidized wind and solar frequently undercut new fossil fuel plants, contradicting Trump’s claim that renewables are prohibitively expensive.
China, meanwhile, is not just the leading manufacturer of turbines but also the world’s top user of wind power.According to World’s Wind Energy Association (WWEA) China produced over 500 gigawatts of wind power in 2024, nearly half of global capacity. Therefore, the claim that China “barely uses” wind energy is demonstrably false.
Edited by: Rachel Baig
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