A rumor that U.S. President Donald Trump said, "It burns when I pee," when he spoke before the United Nations General Assembly circulated online in late September 2025.
For example, a user on X (archived) shared the rumor, further claiming that witnesses said the remarks "left diplomats 'stunned into silence,' with delegates exchanging confused glances."
(@warrior_na92602 on X)
Variations of the rumor, shared with a photo of Trump speaking at the UN lectern and the purported statement overlayed on the image, also spread on BlueSky (archived) and Instagram. The graphic also included the text, "Trump leaves audience shocked and confused during UN speech."
The spread of the rumor led many readers to search the Snopes website for clarification on Trump's alleged statement and email asking us to investigate.
Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as an accurate recounting of Trump's speech at the U.N., which occurred on Sept. 23, 2025. However, there was no evidence Trump said "It burns when I pee" during his U.N. speech.
A review of the nearly one-hour speech, available on the White House's YouTube channel, revealed no such statement being made. Further, no credible news outlets reported on the president making such a statement.
Instead, Trump called climate change "the greatest con job perpetrated on the world," repeated his assertion that he "ended seven wars," and spoke out against recognizing Palestine as a state, stating it would be "a reward for horrible atrocities."
The rumor about Trump's alleged statement originated with WKM News, an Instagram account that is labeled by the platform as "satire/parody" and self-described as "the most untrusted news source" and a "fake news" account.
An Instagram post (archived) by the account on Sept. 24, 2025, featured the same graphic of Trump and his alleged statement, along with an elaborate — but entirely fictional — story that read:
U.S. President Donald Trump startled delegates at the United Nations General Assembly today when, in the middle of a speech about global trade, he abruptly paused and declared, "It burns when I pee."
Witnesses inside the packed chamber said the remark left diplomats "stunned into silence," with several delegates exchanging confused glances while others tried not to laugh.
Trump quickly continued his prepared remarks on tariffs and international cooperation as if nothing unusual had happened. Reporters asked afterward whether the comment was a joke or a medical admission, but Trump's team declined to clarify, saying only that the statement was "taken out of context."
A UN translator, who requested anonymity, said the phrase was repeated in over 30 languages before staff realized it was not part of the official transcript. Social media lit up within minutes, with the hashtag #BurnsWhenIPee trending worldwide.
The fictional story spread as legitimate news organizations shared authentic headlines from Trump's aforementioned U.N. remarks.
Snopes has addressed similar satirical claims Trump in the past, including the assertion that the president "freaked out" over a question on an application for the Nobel Peace Prize and a rumor that he threatened to bomb Norway if he did not win the Nobel.
For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.