For President Trump, this was a Daniel in the lions' den moment. He was addressing a world body that the US administration openly portrays as increasingly irrelevant, corrupt and in steep decline.
There is no love lost between the White House and the United Nations, and the United States has recently withdrawn from several UN organisations, including its Human Rights Council; the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Trump's administration has meanwhile faced a wave of attacks from UN officials over everything from deportation policies to its steadfast support for Israel.
So it is hardly surprising his message to the UN was blunt and hard–hitting.
He had no time for calls from the UK, Australia, Canada and France for the recognition of a Palestinian state, keeping the pressure firmly on Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
