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What to expect from the United Nations Assembly, as calls for the US to leave the alliance continue

2025-09-23 14:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

What to expect from the United Nations Assembly, as calls for the US to leave

This is also the last week of the United Nations General Assembly, which is taking place in New York. Today, Trump is expected to deliver a speech on some of the most troubling topics that have increased tensions. The situation appears threatening, with calls for the US to withdraw from the United Nations.

The US pays about 22% of the UN budget, yet critics say it gets little in return, arguing that the body is dominated by non-democracies, hostile to US interests and fixated on condemning Israel.

President Donald Trump told reporters in February: “The UN has great potential... but they need to get their act together. It’s not being run well and they’re not doing their job.”

Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, told Fox News Digital: "Calls for the US to leave the UN reflect the deep frustration of millions of Americans who see their tax dollars funding a body that is obsessed with condemning Israel while giving dictatorships free rein."

Critics see the planned election of an Iranian regime official to the UN's highest human rights body as evidence of its moral crisis.

"I am not calling for America to withdraw. But Washington must direct responsibility to the UN. What is at stake is whether the UN will remain a moral voice, or whether it will slide further into irrelevance and become a platform for tyrants," Neuer said.

After a 6-decade absence, Rubio meets with Syrian leader at UN General Assembly

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syria's interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaaat, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Monday.

The Syrian representation at the UNGA this week is the first time a Syrian leader has been at the UN in six decades.

Details of the meeting remain unknown, but the meeting took place at a time when the Trump administration has signaled a willingness to establish diplomatic relations with Syria and as Damascus continues to lobby for the US to end all sanctions previously imposed during the previous regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The meeting followed the Trump administration's announcement over the weekend that it was ending protected status for all Syrians residing in the U.S. and giving them 60 days to leave the country or face deportation.

What should we expect from Trump's speech?

At the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Trump's message is expected to be based on three pillars: peace, sovereignty, and freedom. His administration has signaled that these themes will define America's approach to the UN and global engagement.

Regarding peace, Trump is expected to call for sharper accountability in peacekeeping missions, according to US priorities set by Ambassador Dorothy Shea, US Charge d'Affaires.

The US wants operations to have clear goals, measurable results, and resources matched to results—not endless mandates. This reflects a broader skepticism about global institutions that lack effectiveness or accountability.

Sovereignty, long central to Trump's worldview, will feature prominently again at the 80th UN General Assembly: he is expected to emphasize the right of nations to chart their own course of action. His team has warned against international rules that are perceived to stifle innovation or weaken national independence - a continuation of his "America First" stance.

Finally, freedom will be presented as non-negotiable. Trump is expected to defend freedoms of speech, religion, and political opposition, and to oppose efforts to censor or silence dissent.