Trump scorns the UN and accuses it of "funding" immigration to the West.

WashingtonUS President Donald Trump has taken to the podium at the United Nations General Assembly to question the very meaning of its existence from within the institution. Trump, who has contributed to the discredit of the organization and has placed it at one of the most critical points in its history with the massive withdrawal of funds, has shamelessly criticized him in a further blow to the multilateralism that was born after the Second World War and that the president threatens to completely destroy. "Empty words do not end wars. The only thing that solves wars is action," said the president in reference to the institution's resolutions and directives.

This was said by the president himself who has contributed to the discredit of international authority; leader of a country that still does not abide by the Rome Statute and that has pressured the International Criminal Court for theArrest warrant issued against his partner Netanyahu for crimes against humanity. He has also taken actions that very likely violate international law, such as the recent military attacks on vessels in the Caribbean Sea under the unproven accusation that their crews are drug traffickers.

From UN headquarters, Trump has questioned the principles of human rights and humanitarian values, saying they are the evil that plagues the West. "The United Nations is funding the assault on Western countries and their borders," he asserted. "You think: the UN is helping people who are coming to the United States illegally, and then we should kick them out. The UN also gives food, shelter, transportation, and debit cards to illegal immigrants. Can you believe that? And, by the way, they do this so they can infiltrate through the southern border," he said. He also repeated the lie that the institution gives "debit cards" to immigrants.

The "failed experiment" of open borders

He also accused European countries—with special mention of the United Kingdom—of "committing suicide" with their immigration and energy policies: "Both things, immigration and their suicidal ideas about energy, will be the death of Western Europe." He added: "It's time to end this failed experiment with open borders. Look, I'm very good at these issues. Your countries are going to hell."

Trump made no mention what the future of the UN should be on its 80th anniversary. A silence that perfectly reflects the horizon he envisions for one of the main symbols of multilateralism. Today's speech, which was largely a rehash of his campaign rallies, denotes the new reality of the United States, which, under his leadership, is withdrawing into itself and isolating itself from its hegemonic role within the international community.

Since his return to the presidency, the president has practically dismantled many of the elements of the soft power of the United States—such as the international cooperation agency USAID—and has cut funding to international organizations, including the UN itself, which faces a $500 million budget cut next year and expects to lose 20% of its staff.

During his speech, the president spent more time talking about the economic figures achieved in the United States under his mandate, his management of the border and tariffs than about the work of the UN. In fact, he only highlighted its international role when he put on the medal for ending "seven conflicts" to win the Nobel Peace Prize. A claim he made again from the Assembly podium without any shame: "Everyone says I should receive a Nobel Peace Prize for each of these milestones."

In addition to disdaining the humanitarian work of the UN, Trump has boasted about the value he believes should govern international relations: force. The president has expressed his vision of a system governed by the strongest countries—including the United States—by recalling the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, which gave rise to his slogan:Peace through strength" [Peace Through Strength]. "No other country in the world could have done what we did. No other country has the equipment that we have. We have the best weapons on the planet. We hate to have to use them, but we did something that, for 22 years, people have wanted to do with the Iranian nuclear program."

Under that same principle of strength, in his geopolitics Trump has shown that he only recognizes those leaders he considers strong: Russia, China, North Korea, and also all the countries he admires are authoritarian regimes. On the contrary, Washington has distanced itself from its traditional allies, as is the case with Europe.

Trump has also criticized France and other countries that have recognized the Palestinian state: "As if to encourage the conflict to continue, some members of this body seek to unilaterally recognize Palestine as a state." The president has called it a "reward" to Hamas for "the atrocities" it has committed. The majority of UN member states – 156 out of 193 – have already recognized Palestine, further highlighting the isolation of Washington and its partner, Tel Aviv. Regarding Israel, Trump did not make a single criticism of the genocide or the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and again demanded the release of all the hostages, and all at once.

Before the parliament, British government officials explained to The Guardian who feared that Trump might announce recognition of Israeli settler settlements in the West Bank as a response to the recognition of Palestine.

New threat from Russia

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Trump has repeated for the umpteenth time that if he had been president of the United States in 2022, the war would not have started. "That's what happens when you have bad leadership," he said, referring to Joe Biden. He also said that he hoped his "good relationship" with Vladimir Putin would help stop the war quickly, but that this has not been the case: "I thought that, of the wars I've stopped, this would be the easiest, because of my good relationship with Putin. But in war, you never know what's going to happen. There are always many surprises, so good."

He also mocked Russia, saying that the duration of the war—which has been going on for more than three and a half years—"makes Russia look bad" because, in his opinion, Putin intended the war to last "less than a week." As Trump spoke, cameras captured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky covering his face with one hand and looking down at his feet. Trump is scheduled to meet with him this Tuesday.