Trump’s UN Speech at Odds with American Public Opinion

US President Donald Trump spent much of his 57-minute speech at the 80th sessionof the United Nations General Assembly disparaging multilateralism, globalism, and the leadership of other member states. The speech left little doubt that the current administration's position on key challenges sharply diverge from the global consensus. Yet data from the 2025 Chicago Council Survey, fielded July 18-30, 2025, offer a critical counterpoint. The president's views are representative of a mere minority of the public, not Americans as a whole.

Here's what Americans think about some of the key issues raised in Trump's UN speech.

Americans Say Diversity Makes the United States a Better Place

Trump sharply criticized the United Nations for its handling of what he considers the number one political issue of our time-the "crisis of uncontrolled migration"-warning other countries against the dangers of open borders. To Trump, immigration threatens the social fabric of Western societies by "overwhelming [them] with different customs, religions, with different everything." However, only a minority of Americans share this bleak outlook on immigration.

Just two in 10 Americans say the increasing number of people of many different races, nationalities, and ethnic groups in the United States makes the country a worse place to live in (19%). Although some think diversity doesn't really make a difference (28%), most tend to say it makes the United States a better place (52%).

Compared to self-described Democrats and Independents, majorities of whom say diversity makes the United States a better place to live (73% and 52%, respectively), Republicans are most likely to agree with the president-but even they are divided. About equal thirds of Republicans think the increasing number of people with different backgrounds makes the country a worse place to live in (35%), makes no difference (34%), or makes the country better (29%). Those Republicans who self-identify as MAGA supporters most clearly share Trump's views, with a plurality saying diversity makes the country a worse place to live in (42% vs. 32% makes no difference and 24% makes it better).1

Bipartisan Majorities Support Maintaining or Increasing Legal Immigration

In addition, Americans overall tend to be content with the current level of legal immigration to the United States (49%) or think it should be increased (28%); just two in 10 think it should be decreased (21%). Majorities across the political spectrum support at least maintaining current levels, if not increasing legal immigration, with half of Independents (48% maintain) and Democrats (47%) and a bare majority of Republicans (52%) agreeing that legal immigration should be kept at the current level. An additional four in 10 Democrats (40%), three in 10 Independents (29%), and one in 10 Republicans (13%) prefer to increase legal migration. Yet Republicans stand out as being more likely than others to say legal immigration should be decreased (34%).

In fact, even a majority of MAGA Republicans think legal immigration to the United States should be kept at the present level (52%). However, almost four in 10 think it should be decreased (37%; 10% increased).

Half Say Climate Change Poses a Critical Threat to United States

Trump also derided the Paris Agreement on climate change-which he quickly withdrew the United Statesfrom for a second time upon his return to the Oval Office-and other green energy initiatives as burdensome, globalist schemes. But everyday Americans are feeling the effects of climate change: in the first half of 2025 alone, the United States experienced 12 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash floods.

While Trump dismisses climate change as a "green scam," the majority of Americans (a combined 79%) consider it at least an important (30%), if not critical threat (49%) to the United States. Just two in 10 Americans believe climate change is not a threat at all (21%).

Among the partisans, nearly eight in 10 Democrats believe climate change poses a critical threat to American interests (77%, 20% important, 3% not important) and a plurality of Independents agree (50%; an additional 33% say it is an important threat).

Half of Republicans (52% combined) think climate change is at least an important threat (38% important and 14% critical), while the other half do not consider climate change a threat to the United States at all (48%). MAGA Republicans stand out in dismissing climate change as a threat: 56 percent say is not an important threat at all (56%). Fewer than 10 percent of MAGA Republicans think it is a critical threat (8%), and an additional 36 percent think it is important, but not quite critical.

Majority Thinks the Benefits of Global Engagement Outweigh the Costs

Trump's skepticism of climate action reflects his broader belief that international commitments exploit the United States rather than serve its interests. From climate accords to trade deals and multilateral alliances, he said at the United Nations, "the United States has been taken advantage of by the world for many, many years."

While the president believes the United States bears disproportionate costs, a majority of the American public thinks the benefits of maintaining an active role in the world outweigh the costs (60%)-and there is partisan consensus on this point. Even MAGA Republicans see the benefit of global engagement, with 62 percent saying the benefits outweigh the costs (versus 37% costs outweigh the benefits).

Conclusion

In short, Trump mostly spoke for himself and a small, but vocal, segment of the Republican Party when denouncing immigration, climate action, and multilateralism at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. According to Chicago Council Survey data, the American public at large tends to embrace diversity, recognizes the critical threat of climate change, and sees the value of maintaining an active US role in the world.

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  Sixty-seven percent of self-described Republicans say they consider themselves supporters of the Make America Great Again or MAGA movement.