The 2026 UN General Assembly in New York and the leaders' speeches

Active · last development Sep 27: “UN speakers’ go-to quotes: Ancient texts, modern greats and a little Talking Heads”

What this arc covers

The United Nations General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders in New York in September 2026: the agenda of war, artificial intelligence and climate, the security and street closures in the city, Donald Trump's address and the fact checks of it, Iran's president's reply to Trump's threats, Volodymyr Zelensky's address and his meeting with Trump, the US refusal of visas to the Palestinian delegation and Mahmoud Abbas's prerecorded speech, Benjamin Netanyahu's speeches, and the addresses of other leaders, including Argentina's Javier Milei, Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa, Venezuela's acting leader, Nepal's leader and Britain's prime minister, Andy Burnham.

Photo from WFLA, with Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder among celebrities arrested outside U.N. headquarters (Sep 24), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Sep 16, 2026 · 32 stories · 162 independent sources (counted once each) · 11 days

Part ofUnited NationsUnited Nations General AssemblyDonald TrumpNew YorkBenjamin NetanyahuNew York CityIranIsrael

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 27– 29UN speakers’ go-to quotes: Ancient texts, modern greats and a little Talking Heads5 articles · 5 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 0 right
Sep 26– 28German, Russian foreign ministers have rare meeting at UN14 articles · 14 independent sources
3 left, 2 center, 2 right
Sep 25From hiding in bomb shelters to visiting New York, Iran’s leaders seize the opportunity8 articles · 8 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Sep 16 – 17Trump administration again denies visas for Palestinian delegation to attend the UN General Assembly16 articles · 15 independent sources
  2. Sep 17 – 23At UN General Assembly, Iran's president responds to Trump's 'annihilation'306 articles · 105 independent sources
    1. Sep 17Only right-leaning coverage:Trump says 'hopefully we are towards end' of Iran war
    2. Sep 17Trump says he has ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran war
    3. Sep 21Iran to attend UN assembly in New York — even as peace with US remains elusive
    4. Sep 22Trump in address to world leaders at UN defends his decision to start war against Iran
    5. Sep 22At UN, Trump offers Iran a choice: A deal or ‘annihilation’
  3. Sep 20 – 22Andy Burnham seeks common ground with Trump at the UN and pitches the UK as a major AI player23 articles · 14 independent sources
    1. Sep 20Only right-leaning coverage:Andy Burnham faces a weakened Trump – but the president remains unpredictable
    2. Sep 21Britain’s Burnham is set to meet Trump for the first time at the UN in New York
  4. Sep 20 – 23War, runaway AI and climate shocks to take center stage as world leaders meet at UN40 articles · 25 independent sources
    1. Sep 20World leaders to arrive in NYC for the United Nations General Assembly
    2. Sep 21World leaders meet at UN as planet grapples with war, runaway AI and climate shocks
    3. Sep 22Only lean-left coverage:Photos of world leaders confronting global crises at the UN General Assembly
    4. Sep 23Only center coverage:UN General Assembly: Leaders discuss AI, global conflicts
  5. Sep 22 – 26Netanyahu slams critics, Mamdani, in defiant speech as UN delegates walk out127 articles · 63 independent sources
    1. Sep 22Mamdani calls Netanyahu an 'architect of horrific genocide' as feud continues
    2. Sep 24Delegates walk out as Netanyahu addresses UN, and other Mideast developments
    3. Sep 24Netanyahu pleads his case at the U.N. to an audience of mostly empty seats
  6. Sep 24 – 26Police arrest actors, politicians protesting against Netanyahu23 articles · 19 independent sources
  7. Sep 24 – 25Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder among celebrities arrested outside U.N. headquarters41 articles · 29 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Sep 14Sep 21Sep 28

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Sep 14, 20266121560
Sep 21, 2026348534626
Sep 28, 20260123

22% left · 54% center · 24% right of 162 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 32 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. September 2026

    Sep 16– 17Trump administration again denies visas for Palestinian delegation to attend the UN General Assembly16 articles · 15 independent sources
    2 left, 5 center, 2 right
  2. Sep 16– 21UN General Assembly week in NYC: What to know about street closures, security11 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 1 right
  3. Sep 17– 23At UN General Assembly, Iran's president responds to Trump's 'annihilation'306 articles · 105 independent sources
    20 left, 48 center, 26 right
  4. Sep 18Trump to face skeptical world leaders at UN7 articles · 2 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right
  5. Sep 18– 23Zelenskyy, Trump meet at UN11 articles · 10 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 3 right
  6. Sep 19UNGA lingo: A guide to UN General Assembly meeting acronyms, buzzwords and more3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  7. Sep 20– 22Andy Burnham seeks common ground with Trump at the UN and pitches the UK as a major AI player23 articles · 14 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 1 right
  8. Sep 20– 23War, runaway AI and climate shocks to take center stage as world leaders meet at UN40 articles · 25 independent sources
    4 left, 5 center, 2 right
  9. Sep 21– 22Trump to meet Macron in New York before UN General Assembly3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 2 right
  10. Sep 22– 26Netanyahu slams critics, Mamdani, in defiant speech as UN delegates walk out127 articles · 63 independent sources
    13 left, 24 center, 18 right
  11. Sep 22– 23Is it ‘killer robots’ or ‘super intelligence’? At the UN, leaders see both6 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  12. Sep 22– 23‘Freedom is coming to Cuba,’ Trump tells General Assembly at the United Nations10 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 2 right
  13. Sep 22– 23Fact check: Trump’s false claims to the United Nations14 articles · 13 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 0 right
  14. Sep 22– 235 takeaways from Trump’s whirlwind day at UN General Assembly5 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  15. Sep 22– 28They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words4 articles · 2 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 0 right
  16. Sep 23A nation renamed stands up at the UN: ‘Say our name. Naoero.’4 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  17. Sep 23– 25Milei renews Argentina’s Falklands claim at the UN, urging a "peaceful solution"10 articles · 10 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 0 right
  18. Sep 23New York City gridlock: Security beefed up at UN this year for General Assembly6 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  19. Sep 23Golan will remain Syrian, vows President al-Sharaa at UN3 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  20. Sep 23– 24Zelenskyy, at UN, urges leaders to keep choking Russia's revenues and impede its war efforts10 articles · 8 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 0 right
  21. Sep 23– 24Javier Milei Blasts U.N. as 'Useless,' 'Arrogant Parasites' at General Assembly5 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 5 right
  22. Sep 23– 25Venezuela's acting leader, at UN for first address, praises Trump for 'readiness' to resume ties10 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 0 right
  23. Sep 24– 26Police arrest actors, politicians protesting against Netanyahu23 articles · 19 independent sources
    6 left, 4 center, 6 right
  24. Sep 24– 25Israel’s Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza ‘the biggest lie of the century’13 articles · 11 independent sources
    3 left, 4 center, 0 right
  25. Sep 24Palestinian president, again denied a visa to speak at UN, addresses leaders on prerecorded video9 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  26. Sep 24– 25Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder among celebrities arrested outside U.N. headquarters41 articles · 29 independent sources
    3 left, 4 center, 1 right
  27. Sep 24– 25Israel's Netanyahu says at U.N. that attacking Iran was 'one of the easiest decisions' he's ever made7 articles · 7 independent sources
    4 left, 1 center, 0 right
  28. Sep 24– 25Israel must win 'because we’ve got no other choice’, PM Netanyahu tells UN3 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right
  29. Sep 25Nepal's leader, at UN, says recent floods serve as a 'warning to the world' about climate change11 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right
  30. Sep 25From hiding in bomb shelters to visiting New York, Iran’s leaders seize the opportunity8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  31. Sep 26– 28German, Russian foreign ministers have rare meeting at UN14 articles · 14 independent sources
    3 left, 2 center, 2 right
  32. Sep 27– 29UN speakers’ go-to quotes: Ancient texts, modern greats and a little Talking Heads5 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right