Asked today about his speech at the United Nations tomorrow, President Trump said he would be talking about Iran and the economy.
The President declined to say whether he would ramp up pressure on Iran during his speech tomorrow.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described President Trump’s appearance at the Climate Action Summit as a “step forward.”
He had a half-smile, but didn’t reply when asked about Trump listening but not speaking at the summit.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to double her country's climate protection funding at today's special United Nations summit.
Merkel, speaking at the Climate Action Summit, said industrialized countries created the crisis and "have the obligation to put our technology, the best of our knowledge, and our finances into stopping global warming as we know it."
"Germany sees its responsibility on the international stage and on the national stage," she said. "Internationally, we shall increase our funding for global climate protection from $2-4 billion euros and compared to 2014. In particular, we will aim at 1.5 billion and pay this into the green climate fund."
President Trump said he believes in clean water and air but also thinks countries "should do it for themselves"
"I’m a big believer in clean air and clean water, and all countries should get together and do that, and they should do it for themselves. Very, very important," he told reporters after attending the United Nations's Climate Action Summit.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani flew to New York this morning, according to state-run Press TV.
Rouhani landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport today ahead of a speech Wednesday at the United Nation General Assembly, where he will propose a “Hormuz Peace” initiative aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf.
"We are headed to the UN while the Americans have pushed their sanctions campaign so far that they admit there is nothing left for them to sanction," Rouhani said, according to Press TV.
Rouhani added that the failure of US sanctions had put the United States in a state of "absolute desperation" regarding Iran.
Press TV reported that Rouhani “felt compelled” to participate in the UNGA because the United States does not seem “very eager to have various Iranian delegations at the UN and speaking to the media” and that “the fact that they are not that eager shows that it is imperative for us to be at the UN at different levels and speak out, because we have logic and strong arguments while our enemies don't.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will not meet with President Trump, the country's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told reporters at the United Nations today.
He ignored questions from reporters as he exited UN headquarters, saying, “I’ve got to go to the airport to pick up the president.”
Asked if Rouhani will meet with Trump, Zarif shouted, “No!”
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly today, said she shouldn't have to be addressing the crisis.
She continued: "You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words — and yet, I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering, people are dying."
Trump is listening to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi deliver remarks at the climate summit. He is sitting in the US seat in the audience with his hands folded, with a translation headset in his right ear.
Behind him are Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and the US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft.
Mulvaney and Pompeo are chatting among themselves as Modi speaks.