Donald Trump: The UN has not reached its potential
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Trump at the UN
The United Nations is not living up to its potential, US President Donald Trump has said in his debut speech to the UN General Assembly.
“Focus more on people, less on bureaucracy,” he urged at the organisation’s headquarters in New York, reiterating his call for reform.
No state should bear a disproportionate share of costs, he said.
The US pays 28.5% of the overall peacekeeping bill, which Mr Trump has called unfair.
While still a candidate for the US presidency, Mr Trump sharply criticised the UN, speaking of its “utter weakness and incompetence”.
“It has not reached its potential because of the bureaucracy and mismanagement,” he said in his opening remarks.
He encouraged member states to take a “bold stand” to change the UN’s business-as-usual approach rather than “be beholden to ways of the past which are not working”.
He called on the new Secretary General, António Guterres, to make changes.
Mr Guterres responded by agreeing that excessive red tape kept him up at night.
Trump’s past UN tweets Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2016 Report
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Skip Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
The cheap 12 inch sq. marble tiles behind speaker at UN always bothered me. I will replace with beautiful large marble slabs if they ask me.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2012 Report
End of Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
