ABC found a novel way to keep abreast of the self-imposed White House pool blackout in solidarity with their CNN, MS NOW and Politico colleagues: by doing the absolute bare minimum to cover President Trump at the United Nations General Assembly while doting over French President Emmanuel Macron.
Watch the report in its entirety, as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026:
How did @ABCWorldNews cover Trump at the UNGA? Barely. A minute-and-a half Mary Bruce brief followed by a dopey 9-minute interview of French President Macron.
DAVID MUIR: We begin tonight with President Trump on the world stage, delivering a stark new warning to Iran tonight in… pic.twitter.com/vEVd8Jle8t— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) September 23, 2026
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
9/22/26
6:32 PM
DAVID MUIR: We begin tonight with President Trump on the world stage, delivering a stark new warning to Iran tonight in front of world leaders at the UN here in New York City. Seven months into this war with Iran now, the president tonight warning the choices are clear: make a deal or annihilate the Islamic Republic. What we have just learned tonight about a meeting with the Iranians here in New York. Mary Bruce leading us off tonight.
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, President Trump arriving at the UN to deliver a now-familiar warning to Iran: either make a deal to end the war or he'll, quote, “drive them into hell.”
DONALD TRUMP: I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?
BRUCE: But Trump, also well aware the war he started, is upending the world economy. And today he tried to convince leaders a deal is coming.
TRUMP: I believe we'll make a deal right after the election, because it doesn't make sense for them not to. They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election.
BRUCE: And, David, President Trump also meeting today with Ukrainian president Zelenskyy to discuss the war with Russia. Meanwhile, some of Trump's top aides meeting with the Iranian delegation today for three hours. Iran's president arriving here tonight. President Trump says he's willing to meet with him. But David, so far nothing on the books.
MUIR: Mary Bruce live here in New York tonight. Mary, thank you.
The report follows a familiar template: Mary Bruce bashing Trump’s speech, citing the usual talking points she inserts into her White House roundups. On the Iran war, the threat of annihilation is all-too-familiar. Bruce is also quick to tell viewers that Trump started the war, never mind the Islamic Republic being at war with the United States for over 47 years.
The brief was very narrowly limited to Trump’s speech and meeting with President Zelenskyi of Ukraine. Bruce made no reference to Trump’s meetings with any other leaders, such as the Prime Minister of Japan, Latin American leaders gathered for a meeting of the Shield of the Americas coalition, or the very important Gulf Cooperation Council. The report also omits any mention of the signing of the critical Greenland deal.
The evening’s top story came in about a minute and a half. What did ABC choose to devote its time to? Over nine minutes for President Macron in an interview that broke new ground and was, more than anything, an exercise in unrestrained puffery.
The record will reflect that ABC’s A-block closed out with Clavicular’s rape charges. That alone should give you an idea of where the Disney news division’s priorities lie. Today’s brief on Trump at the UN was more protest than coverage. Par for the course for the most Trump-deranged among the Elitist Media evening news.
