· 3 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: President Donald Trump’s return to the UN General Assembly in September 2025 set a combative tone, with the U.S. cutting contributions to the organization and openly questioning its purpose
• The gathering was marked by equipment glitches, fraught exchanges over Ukraine, visa denials for key delegations, and muted progress on global crises
• While the U.N. made some headway on Haiti, the overall mood was one of diminished confidence in the institution’s capacity to address urgent challenges
🔭 The context: The U.N. General Assembly has long been criticized as more symbolic than action-oriented, but it remains a critical platform for diplomacy
• Trump’s renewed skepticism echoes his first presidency, when Washington withdrew from international accords and questioned multilateral institutions
• His 2025 appearance came against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions — from Russia’s war in Ukraine to instability in Gaza and Haiti — raising questions about the U.N.’s relevance in a fractured world
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: A weakened UN system complicates global cooperation on climate, conflict, and humanitarian crises
• Cuts in U.S. support could reduce resources for U.N. agencies engaged in climate adaptation, food security, and disaster response
• The credibility of multilateral governance is also at stake: if major powers sideline the U.N., collective efforts on sustainability, peacebuilding, and global financing risk further fragmentation
⏭️ What's next: The Security Council is set to vote on strengthening the multinational support mission in Haiti, a test of whether consensus is possible amid U.S.-Russia-China divisions
• Trump will also meet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington, where discussions on Gaza may shape regional diplomacy
• For the U.N., the absence of meaningful reform debate underscores the likelihood that structural dysfunction will persist, with implications for the 2025–2026 cycle of climate and development negotiations
💬 One quote: “For every dollar invested to support our core work to build peace, the world spends 750 dollars on weapons of war. This is not only unsustainable — it is indefensible,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres
📈 One stat: The U.S. remains the largest contributor to the U.N., but Trump’s administration has pledged millions in budget cuts this year, further straining an institution already under mounting financial pressure
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