What a Second Trump Presidency Means for the UN

Trump's approach to the UN is more nuanced than critics might think

The important thing to understand about Donald Trump’s approach to the United Nations is that he is not intrinsically hostile to it. In his first administration, he had several productive engagements with the UN, working through the Security Council on sanctions for North Korea and Iran, for instance. He also had a good working relationship with António Guterres, whom he invited to the White House. By all accounts, he rather enjoyed his annual addresses to the General Assembly and the pomp that surrounds UNGA each September.

Neither is Trump particularly sympathetic to the UN. His administration took actions against the UN that are in line with the typical Republican approach to the institution. For example, Trump blocked American funding for the UN Population Fund, a move every Republican administration since Ronald Reagan has taken. He also suspended funding for UNRWA, the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees (something Biden did as well), and supported American non-engagemen…