What Trump has said about the UN

Donald Trump has delivered his maiden speech at the United Nations, after a long history of criticism for the global body.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 19, 2017 in New York City

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 19, 2017 in New York City Source: Getty Images

President Donald Trump delivered his first speech before the United Nations on Tuesday, touting US sovereignty and threatening to "totally destroy" North Korea.

Trump has been critical of the United Nations and complained about the cost to the United States of helping to fund the 193-nation body.
Below are some comments he has made about it over the years.

* September 19, 2017, at a luncheon hosted by Secretary General:

"For years I've been a critic, but I've also been somebody that said that the United Nations has tremendous potential."

* September 19, 2017, in a speech at the UN General Assembly:

"Too often the focus of this organisation has not been on results, but on bureaucracy and process.

"The United States is one out of 193 countries in the United Nations, and yet we pay 22 per cent of the entire budget and more. In fact, we pay far more than anybody realises."

* April 2017, at lunch with Security Council Ambassadors:

"I also want to say to you that I have long felt the United Nations is an underperformer but has tremendous potential. There are those people that think it's an underperformer and will never perform."

* December 2016, in a tweet:

"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!"

* March 2016, in an American-Israel Public Affairs Committee speech:

"Which brings me to my next point, the utter weakness and incompetence of the United Nations. The United Nations is not a friend of democracy, it's not a friend to freedom, it's not a friend even to the United States of America where, as you know, it has its home. And it surely is not a friend to Israel."

* October 2012, in a tweet:

"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."

* September 2011, in a tweet:

"Why is the UN planning to attack @Israel's sovereignty and ignore Iran's nuclear program? The US should look at future funding."

* July 2005, at a Senate committee hearing on renovation of headquarters

"I am a big fan, a very big fan of the United Nations and all it stands for. I cannot speak as to what has been happening over the last number of years because it certainly has not been good, but the concept of the United Nations ... is very important to me and very important to the world as far as I am concerned."

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Published 20 September 2017 5:04am
Updated 20 September 2017 5:29am
Source: AAP


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