United Nations General Assembly: Historic and controversial moments

The United Nations General Assembly has hosted numerous historic and controversial moments over the decades. Notable instances include Fidel Castro’s 1960 speech, which lasted 269 minutes, making it the longest in the assembly's history. Another iconic moment occurred in 1960 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev reportedly struck the podium with his shoe.

In more recent history, the 2025 arrival of Donald and Melania Trump was marked by an incident where an escalator stopped suddenly, leading the former president to allege sabotage, though officials attributed it to a safety mechanism. Other significant moments include Hugo Chavez’s 2006 speech, which featured sharp rhetoric against the United States, and Archbishop Makarios III’s 1974 address following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

The assembly has also seen unique personal milestones, such as Jacinda Ardern attending in 2018 with her infant daughter, and various instances of diplomatic tension, including the departure of delegates during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2012 speech.