Trump-Guterres Moment, Walkouts, Doomscrolling: UNGA’s Most Viral Scenes In New York
The UN General Assembly 2026 in New York was supposed to be about diplomacy. Instead, it delivered walkouts, sharp exchanges, viral gestures, leaders scrolling on their phones, unexpected meetings and plenty of moments that had little to do with the carefully prepared speeches.
Here are some of the biggest scenes from inside and outside the UN.
Trump and Guterres' viral moment
One of the most widely shared moments came when US President Donald Trump turned towards UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Guterres appeared to fold his hands, creating an instantly viral image. The gesture itself does not establish a confrontation, but it came after two notably different messages.
In his final UNGA address, Guterres warned that the world's “faultlines” were widening and argued that power must remain restrained by international law. He called for an end to wars, greater cooperation and global safeguards for artificial intelligence.
Trump, meanwhile, used his speech to defend US military action, attack Iran and highlight what he described as American diplomatic and economic successes.
Macron takes aim at the Gaza 'peace' narrative
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered what is expected to be his final UNGA address before leaving office. He warned against a return to the “law of the jungle” and questioned whether countries wanted international solidarity or a world governed by raw power.
Macron also challenged Trump's portrayal of Gaza, arguing that declarations of peace mean little while humanitarian access remains blocked. His remarks became one of the day's sharpest responses to Trump's speech.
Walkouts inside the UN chamber
The opening day also saw dramatic walkouts. During Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's address, the Israeli delegation left the chamber as he condemned Israel's actions in Gaza. Palestinian representatives applauded his remarks.
Earlier, delegations also walked out during Trump's address, adding another layer of drama to an already confrontational session.
Syria's president caught doomscrolling
Perhaps the most unexpected viral moment came from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. During Erdoğan's speech, al-Sharaa was filmed looking down at his phone and scrolling through Instagram Reels inside the General Assembly hall.
The footage spread rapidly online, with users joking that even world leaders can get distracted by short-form videos during long diplomatic speeches.
The Syrian leader also faced a much more serious moment outside the chamber when journalists questioned him about the September 11 attacks and his former links to al-Qaeda.
Al-Sharaa rejected any connection to 9/11, pointing out that he was 13 at the time. He also expressed sympathy for those killed in the United States and the Middle East while placing the region's subsequent history in the context of US policy and wars.
India gets its own shout-outs
India also featured in the wider diplomatic conversations. Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke about his earlier formulation of foreign policy around values, interests and power, while stressing that even powerful states cannot solve global problems alone. References to India's development and environmental approach also surfaced during the high-level week.
Leaders turn New York into a stage
The UNGA spectacle spilled beyond the UN compound. Leaders were seen moving through Manhattan, with roads shut and heavy security surrounding delegations. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was among those seen out in New York, while the presence of more than 100 delegations transformed parts of the city into a diplomatic stage.
Stonewall Inn gets a historic visit
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten visited the famous Stonewall Inn, a landmark associated with the birth of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the United States. For Jetten, the Netherlands' first openly gay prime minister, the visit carried an added layer of symbolism.
Trump's Cuba joke
Trump provided one of the lighter moments when he joked about sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Cuba to “figure it all out”. Rubio's Cuban family background made the remark even more notable.
Trump meets Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez
Trump also met Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who had previously served as a senior figure under Nicolás Maduro. The two posed for cameras, with Trump giving Rodríguez a thumbs-up during the encounter.
Netanyahu’s Parrots Video Goes Viral
Netanyahu’s office also drew attention with an AI-generated video featuring parrots repeatedly saying “blame Israel”, mocking what it portrayed as the UN’s repeated criticism of Israel and accusing the organisation of becoming an echo chamber.
And finally, the protesters
Outside the UN, protesters gathered across New York over Gaza, Iran, US foreign policy and other international issues. With streets packed with police, diplomatic convoys and demonstrators, the city became an extension of the arguments playing out inside the General Assembly.