Trump Critiques Palestine Recognition Amid Growing UN Support

At the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump strongly opposed recent international moves to recognize a Palestinian state, calling such recognition a "reward" for Hamas following their violent attacks and hostage-taking. Trump emphasized that recognizing Palestine at this juncture would legitimize Hamas rather than advance peace, urging instead for a united global call for hostage release and immediate ceasefire negotiations to end the Gaza conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this stance, criticizing European leaders like France for yielding to domestic political pressure from migrant populations and dismissing their recognition of Palestine as largely symbolic and irrelevant to the conflict's resolution. Rubio also highlighted concerns about the United Nations, accusing some of its agencies of misdirected spending and infiltration by terrorist groups, reinforcing the Trump administration's skepticism of the UN's effectiveness. France and other U.S. allies have officially recognized Palestine, aiming to support a two-state solution and pressure Israel, though these measures have been met with sharp criticism from the U.S. administration. The debate exposes deep divisions among international actors regarding the path to peace in the Middle East, with the U.S. firmly opposing unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood at this time.