In the past few months, the United States has left several important UN agencies and defunded others, making clear that it stands on its own.
Back in May, when President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, France’s ambassador to the United Nations François Delattre said “a new world disorder” was coming. Since then, the county has withdrawn from some UN agencies in pursuit of its America First agenda, which many believe only exacerbates crises.
This summer alone, the U.S. left the Human Rights Council, revoked funding for the UNRWA, and boycotted a United Nations agreement on migration. Some critics and allies of the President even say that his actions have made the Security Council difficult to control to an extent not seen since the Cold War.
Aides say President Trump is committed to global cooperation, even though not many diplomats are confident about his return to the General Assembly. On Monday, Trump participated in a panel on countering narcotics trafficking and is expected to deliver an address today on state sovereignty and American interest above all, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said.
During the address, Trump is expected to stress his administration’s intent to distance itself from international groups and pacts the country has previously been part of. This sentiment was also signaled by Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton and the UN ambassador.
In a news conference last week, Haley reiterated previous comments when she said the United States was very generous with a number of countries and expected those countries to have its back.
“We’re going to be generous to those that share our values, generous to those who want to work with us,” she said, “and not those that try and stop the United States, saying they hate America and are counterproductive for what we’re doing.”
The United Nations director for Human Rights Watch said the United States’ withdrawal from various agencies was “an assault on the most important institutions we have for accountability and monitoring and exposing the worst abuses.”
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