I
n his speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, US President Donald Trump claimed to have "ended seven unendable wars" – a definite exaggeration, though his administration has helped make peace in several regional conflicts. Trump then excoriated the UN for its inaction. "All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up," he said. "It's empty words – and empty words don't solve war."
It pains me to admit that he is largely right about the UN's current role in peace and security. As the war in Ukraine and the destruction of Gaza and the Gazans illustrate, the UN is impotent when the five permanent members of the Security Council are at odds. Russia and China veto any attempt to hold Russia accountable for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while the United States blocks collective global action to protect the Palestinians and create lasting security for Israel and a nascent Palestine.
Trump did talk about the UN's "tremendous potential." But no one should be fooled: His foreign policy blatantly contravenes the letter and spirit of the UN Charter. He is an old-school realist who, like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, values national sovereignty and self-interest above all else.
