'Not even coming close to living up': Trump slams UN as ineffective

Trump blasts the UN for not ‘living up’ to its potential

US President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations General Assembly, using the stage to tout his second-term foreign policy record while castigating the world body as ineffective.

In a speech that blended personal grievances with sweeping criticism, Trump accused the U.N. of failing to fulfill its mission. “What is the purpose of the United Nations? It’s not even coming close to living up to that potential,” he declared, repeating his long-standing skepticism toward multilateral institutions.

Since his latest inauguration, Trump has taken a series of steps to roll back U.S. involvement in international organizations, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization, exiting the U.N. Human Rights Council, and reviewing America’s participation in hundreds of intergovernmental bodies. On Tuesday, he escalated his attack, saying, “Empty words don’t solve wars.”

Trump claimed he had singlehandedly achieved diplomatic breakthroughs. “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal,” he said.

The president’s address veered between complaints about a faulty teleprompter and an escalator malfunction at U.N. headquarters, to boasts of peacemaking efforts. He described the institution as outdated and “tremendously” underperforming, despite what he called its “tremendous potential.”

Even while expressing his desire for peace and hinting at a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump’s tone was combative. He accused European leaders of undermining their societies with immigration and environmental policies. “You’re destroying your countries,” he warned. “I can tell you I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.”

He also pledged a tough stance against drug cartels, vowing to “blow you out of existence,” and dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.”

World leaders listened closely as Trump reinforced his “America First” agenda, making clear that on issues from climate to migration, Washington is moving further from global consensus.

(With agency inputs)