Donald Trump Claims 'Global Warming Not Happening' at UN General Assembly, Calls Climate Action a 'Scam'

On September 23, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted at the United Nations General Assembly that 'global warming is not actually happening,' strongly condemning UN climate change initiatives as 'the biggest scam the world has ever experienced.'

This shocking statement was widely reported by major media outlets such as Kyodo News and Jiji Press, and quickly spread across X (formerly Twitter). The phrase 'biggest scam in history' briefly trended at number two on Yahoo! Japan, sparking widespread public debate.

Trump claimed that climate change countermeasures are based on 'malicious predictions' and that the theory of carbon dioxide raising Earth's temperature is unproven. He suggested instead that increased solar activity might be the cause of rising global temperatures. Additionally, some posts included conspiracy theories, such as the idea that global warming 'could be a scam created by the deep state.'

In response to these remarks, a swirl of opinions, both for and against, has emerged on social media.

Supporters expressed views such as 'the Earth is merely in a natural cycle, and warming is not occurring,' and asserted that 'from a long-term perspective, the current increase in CO2 concentration is within the margin of error.' Other perspectives included the idea that 'there have been periods in Earth's history when temperatures were higher than today, so recent extreme weather should be seen as temperature increases resulting from the transition from an ice age to an interglacial period,' and comments like 'many people pretend to understand CO2-driven global warming, which they can neither explain nor comprehend.'

Conversely, critics vehemently rejected the claims, with many citing concrete examples of current climate change, asking 'Then why was Japan's highest temperature record broken this year?' and stating, 'Japan has experienced three consecutive years of extreme heat; the impact of global warming cannot be denied.' Data-based observations like 'temperatures have risen by about one degree Celsius over 100 years' were also made. Emotional reactions against Trump's stance included posts like 'You're the scammer!' and 'The President himself is the biggest scam in history.' Some questioned the intent behind his remarks, suggesting they were 'delusional statements to defend the oil industry,' while others queried, 'Why make such statements when we are in a phase of reducing economic activity to combat global warming?'

Trump's remarks at the UN are likely to reignite a global discussion about the societal impact of political statements versus scientific evidence regarding climate change.

The context

This news article describes a hypothetical event set in the future (September 23, 2025). It is not a report on actual past or current events. The article explores a speculative scenario where former U.S. President Donald Trump makes a provocative statement about climate change at the UN General Assembly, and details the hypothetical societal reactions and debates that would ensue on social media and among the public.