United States presidential addresses to the United Nations General Assembly are speeches delivered by the President of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly, principally during the annual general debate. By tradition, the U.S. president gives an annual address at the opening of the general debate every September. U.S. presidents have used the United Nations General Assembly as a platform to raise U.S. foreign policy priorities and global issues to heads of state and national leaders in attendance.
History Harry S. Truman was the first U.S. president to address the United Nations, speaking via direct wire to the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, California, on April 25, 1945. Truman was also the first U.S. president to speak at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, addressing the fifth session of the General Assembly on October 24, 1950.
The President of the United States has addressed the United Nations General Assembly every year since 1982.
Speaking order and protocol In contemporary practice, Brazil traditionally is the first country delegation to speak first at the opening of the general debate. In the early days of the United Nations, Brazil stepped up to speak first when other countries were reluctant to do so. As the host country, the United States traditionally follows Brazil as the second speaker. The President of the United Nations General Assembly, as the chair of the general debate, formally recognizes the U.S. president and invites them to the podium at the front of the General Assembly Hall.
While the general debate has a 15-minute voluntary limit on statements, U.S. presidents have commonly spoken longer than 15 minutes.
List of addresses