A Strong UN for a World in Transition
Image by Thomas Franke.
In a display of staggering arrogance, even by its own standards, the U.S. administration recently sent a questionnaire to UN aid agencies, asking staff whether they held “anti-American” beliefs or affiliations—as if America were a religion rather than a nation-state—and whether they had any links to communism. The International Committee of the Red Cross also received the form, which was issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The questionnaire demanded confirmation that agency workers had no ties to communist, socialist, or totalitarian parties—or to any group deemed ideologically ‘suspect’. “Can you confirm that your organization does not work with entities associated with communist, socialist, or totalitarian parties, or any party that espouses anti-American beliefs?”
What exactly are these “anti-American beliefs” anyway? Perhaps democracy, the rule of law, equality, social justice, or freedom of expression qualify—since where these values exist at all, they are ignored or trampled on by the Trump administration. Try organizing a pro-Palestine demonstration or hosting an LGBTQ+ celebration at the Kennedy Center in Washington and see how far those ‘American’ freedoms extend.
The blatant message behind this outrageous act is clear: to receive US funding or political backing, you must align with US ideology and biases—such as unwavering loyalty to Israel. It’s hard to imagine any other country or government sending such a crass document. It is yet another example of how Trump and his administration view the world and America’s place within it.
They distrust anyone who isn’t part of their broader clan, and seem to believe that the U.S. is superior to all other nations and institutions—operating in a separate shiny space, one that is above and beyond both domestic and international law.
‘The law’ is routinely ignored, especially International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is regarded with contempt. This did not begin with Trump. Since 9/11, the U.S. and its mates (particularly Israel), have consistently undermined IHL, gradually eroding its foundations. Today, this weakening has reached a point where Israel is able to commit genocide with total impunity.
In addition to disregarding the law, all forms of respectful behavior toward global bodies—and in some cases, national leaders—are ignored. A prime example is the appalling treatment of Zelensky in the Oval Office by Trump and J.D.Vance, followed by Vance’s condescending lecture to European leaders at the Munich Security Conference. While his speech was praised in the U.S. by Trump and right-wing media, it was met with near silence by those in attendance.
This imperious approach extends to the Trump administration’s attitude towards the UN. The administration is actively working to subvert the organization and cast doubt on the effectiveness and legitimacy of its work.
Beyond questioning UN staff, the administration has withdrawn from key UN agencies—most notably the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees)—and launched a review of overall UN funding. While the U.S. is the largest donor to the UN, it routinely fails to pay its assessed contributions on time; as of March 2025, it owed $1.5 billion in unpaid assessments.
Europe’s weird response
The loudest reaction to the U.S.’s growing disregard for international institutions and human rights has come from European governments (including UK), who, bizarrely, have responded by increasing national defense budgets in the face of what they regard as increased uncertainty.
This is perplexing because if humanity is genuinely striving for peace (a big if), what logic is there in investing more in the instruments of war—guns, drones, tanks, fighter jets—anything designed to kill and destroy? Politicians, ever duplicitous, justify this by citing the need to counter an ever-growing ‘threat’—Russia, followed by China and North Korea are the usual suspects.
What is often overlooked is that, since 1948, the U.S. has been involved in more armed conflicts than any other nation—either through direct military intervention, such as in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan (with disastrous consequences in each case), or by enabling allies to commit atrocities, including genocide, as in the case of Israel.
Achieving global peace requires addressing the root causes of conflict, not building bigger and more powerful armies. The only true beneficiaries of this misguided and immoral approach are the arms corporations—largely American—that fuel the military-industrial complex.
The new centre of things?
As Europe and the world grapples with its own responses to global uncertainty, the need for a unified and effective international system has never been clearer.
At the heart of any evolving global order should be the United Nations (UN)—the very institution that is being systematically diminished by the Trump administration.
Established in 1945, the UN’s primary mission is to maintain international peace and security. While conflict has persisted in the 80 years since, the UN has played a key role in preventing a third world war—an achievement that is perhaps overlooked.
In a February speech to the Security Council (SC), which contained elements that could help shape a new global order, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that “global solidarity and solutions are needed [now] more than ever……global challenges cry out for multilateral solutions.”
Guterres stands out among world leaders as a principled figure, consistently calling on nations to cooperate and address global challenges like climate change and poverty. His vision contrasts sharply with the narrow, insular ideology of far-right governments, such as the one currently entrenched in Washington.
If the systemic evolution that is so badly needed is to come about—the movement into ‘the new’—the world needs leaders with vision and courage, like the Secretary-General: creative men and women capable of listening and reimagining systems and institutions to better serve the needs of the time.
The transition into ‘the new’ has been underway for decades and is unstoppable. However, resistance remains intense—embodied by figures like Trump and his ilk—and the choices before us are stark.
To move forward, we must cast aside the poisons they peddle: fragmentation, intolerance, and tribalism, and instead embrace the timeless values of sharing, cooperation, and mutual understanding. It is through the demonstration of these values that social harmony and lasting peace can be achieved—without which nothing of true significance can endure.
Unity is essential; humanity is one—equal and whole—and the United Nations remains a powerful symbol of this interconnectedness. Attempts by the U.S. administration to weaken or undermine the UN only embolden rogue states like Israel, which routinely attacks UN agencies and disregards its resolutions. Member states and UN officials must stand together in firm defiance of such actions.
With reforms to the Security Council—such as abolishing the permanent member veto and expanding representation—the UN has the potential to become the world’s great unifying and equalizing body. Serving as the facilitator of lasting peace through the promotion of social justice and sharing, as well as the pre-eminent global forum for debate; a space free of all ‘isms, in which every nation’s voice carries equal weight.
Only through a collective commitment to ‘the good’ can we transcend the divisions epitomized by the U.S. government and begin to build a future where peace, social justice, and equality are lived realities for all.
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