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United Nations. General Assembly

Trump Faces Isolation at the United Nations Amid Growing Pressure to Recognize Palestinian State

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

President Trump is visiting the United Nations General Assembly this week, where he will address world leaders and meet with several foreign leaders, including leaders from the Middle East and Muslim world. However, Trump is finding himself increasingly isolated at the U.N. amidst a growing push to recognize a Palestinian state. This move by the U.K. and Canada and others is seen as a way to pressure Israel to end its attacks on Gaza, but Trump has expressed opposition to the move, saying it will only reward Hamas.

Key Takeaways:

  • Trump is set to meet with eight allies from the Middle East and Muslim world, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, in a group meeting at the U.N.
  • The President is also scheduled to have one-on-one meetings with the leaders of Ukraine, Argentina, and the European Union, where he is expected to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.
  • Trump has threatened to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, but has often backed off, saying Europe needs to do more.
  • The NATO alliance has struggled to come up with a proper response to Russia's incursions into Estonia's airspace, with some analysts warning that allies risk emboldening Russia if they don't take strong action soon.
  • Trump has expressed his disdain for the United Nations, cutting U.S. funding for the body earlier this year and questioning the usefulness of group diplomatic talks.
  • The White House has said that part of Trump's speech at the U.N. will center on the problems with globalist institutions and how they have "decayed the world order."
  • After the U.N. meetings, Trump will meet with President Erdogan of Turkey on Thursday to discuss trade and potentially the issue of Russia.
  • Next week, Trump is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push back against international pressure for Palestinian statehood.

Statistics:

  • Russell Baker, in an editorial for the New York Review of Books, listed the following statistics on the state of the U.N.:

+ In 2019, the U.S. accounted for 22% of the U.N.'s operating budget, down from 28% in 2015.

+ Trump's cuts to the U.N. have resulted in a $500 million reduction in the body's budget.

+ According to a 2020 survey by the Pew Research Center, 53% of Americans have a favorable view of the United Nations, while 34% have an unfavorable view.

Sources:

  • "Donald Trump's U.N. Gambit," by Russell Baker, New York Review of Books (January 2020).
  • "Trump to Address U.N. on Problems with Globalist Institutions," White House Press Release (September 2020).
  • "Trump to Meet with Erdogan on Thursday," Bloomberg (September 2020).

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