US President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on the United Nations during his UN General Assembly address, accusing the global body of failing to act on wars, migration, and climate change.

“In just under seven months, I’ve ended seven ‘unendable’ wars,” Trump declared. “It’s bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them.” His speech was delayed briefly by a faulty teleprompter and an elevator malfunction, which he later recounted as complaints.

Trump highlighted his administration’s withdrawals from multiple UN agencies, citing political bias and inefficiency. In February, he signed an order reaffirming US exit from the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), cutting $384 million annually. The US also plans to leave UNESCO by December 2026, slashing another $80 million.

Previously, Washington quit the World Health Organization (WHO) over its handling of COVID-19, reducing contributions by $130 million per year.

Despite contributing $13 billion to the UN system in 2023, the US stopped all payments in January 2025, leaving nearly $3 billion in arrears. UN forecasts warn of a $500 million budget shortfall by 2026, with potential 20% job cuts across peacekeeping, health, and humanitarian operations.

Trump’s criticism continues a long US tradition of pulling out of UN bodies over disagreements. But his hardline stance—combined with major funding cuts—has placed unprecedented financial strain on the global organization.