President Donald Trump wants to emasculate the United Nations, but he will not leave it. Where else can he address an audience with delegations from 193 countries? And the US seat on the UN Security Council gives it a veto.

Well before his 23 September speech, Trump interfered in the UN roster, in violation of the world body's agreement with the United States as the host country.

For one, the 89-year old Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas was not granted a visa. He spoke to the Assembly by video. Then Brazilian president President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, (known as Lula) who traditionally opens the high-level debate, was unable to get visas for his health minister, Alexandre Padilha, and his justice minister, Ricardo Lewandowski. Why? Because Lula opposed former president Jair Bolsnaro, someone Trump admires, of attempting a coup.

Trump's speech received applause when he demanded the release of hostages in captivity in Gaza. But delegates let out sounds of exasperation when he called climate change a "con job."

In general, he said the United States was entering a "golden age." But Western European nations, once our allies, were collapsing because of immigration, green energy, and faulty leadership.

Trump wants to slash UN funding for the world body and its various programs and agencies. He has stopped US engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, extended a halt to funding for the Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, and quit the UN cultural agency UNESCO. He has also announced plans to pull out of the Paris climate deal and the World Health Organization.

The United Nations is running short of funds, partly but not solely because of the United States. Whereas Washington had sponsored USAID in developing nations, the world body has to cope with more gaps than ever in meeting its obligations.

What humanitarian work does the UN do?

The UN attempts to supply aid through its agencies such as the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN children’s fund UNICEF, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Office for the Coordination of........

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