1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 2: Every September, global leaders gather at the headquarters of the 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 2: United Nations to discuss and debate the world's toughest issues. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: There's eighty nine heads of state, five vice presidents, one 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: crown Prince, and forty three heads of government. 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: Magdalena del Vialler covers the UN for Bloomberg, and she 7 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: says the eighty year old institution is at a critical juncture. 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: The United States, which is responsible for about twenty percent 9 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: of the UN's annual budget, hasn't paid its dues in months, 10 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 2: and President Trump says the organization is bloated and isn't 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 2: living up to its potential. That was the backdrop to 12 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: Trump's arrival to the General Assembly on Tuesday. 13 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I think things kind of started to go 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: wrong from almost the second he walked through. 15 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: The door, Magdalena says. The President and First Lady got 16 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: out of their limo, walked inside, and then stepped onto an. 17 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: Escalator and then all of a sudden it stopped. They 18 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: both were confused, and then they all had to walk up, 19 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: kind of awkwardly, up this escalator. 20 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: In a statement, a UN spokesperson said the escalators built 21 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 2: in safety mechanism had been activated. The Secret Service says 22 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 2: it's also investigating. Well after that, there was another problem. 23 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 2: When Trump reached the podium in the General Assembly Hall, 24 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 2: the teleprompter wasn't working. 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 3: I can only say that whoever's operating this teleprompter is 26 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 3: in big trouble. 27 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: Trump went on to deliver a speech that lasted almost 28 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 2: an hour, detailing a lot of what he views as 29 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 2: the major accomplishments of his second term. The president also 30 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 2: trained his sites on the UN itself. What's the purpose 31 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:46,639 Speaker 2: of the United Nations? He asked. 32 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 3: For the most part, at least for now, all they 33 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 3: seemed to do is write a really strongly worded letter 34 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 3: and then never follow that letter up. It's empty words, 35 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 3: and empty words don't solve war. 36 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: Trump turned that awkward start to his speech into a 37 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 2: punchline and a metaphor. 38 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: These are the. 39 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 4: Two things I got from the United Nations. 40 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 3: A bad escalator and a bad teleprompter, Thank you very much. 41 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 2: Trump's criticism of the UN raises the question of what 42 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: the organization will look like in the future without the 43 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: kind of engagement and investment the US has provided for decades. 44 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: Antonio Guterrez, the UN Secretary General, told me the organization 45 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,239 Speaker 2: is facing some hard choices. 46 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 4: We shrink, we reduce what we're doing. 47 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 5: The problem is that those peace keepers, that many of 48 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 5: them are in places where there's no piece to keep 49 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 5: with terrorist groups, with groups, they are sometimes the last 50 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 5: resort for the protection of civilians, and those. 51 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 4: Are the ones that will suffer. 52 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 5: So the UN can move on, but the people that 53 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 5: we support will suffer. 54 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 2: I'm David Gera and this is the big take from 55 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: Bloomberg News today. On the show, the United Nations at 56 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: a tipping point as the United States withholds money and support. 57 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 2: It raises questions about the role the UN plays on 58 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: the world stage. Since the United Nations was founded in 59 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: nineteen forty five in the aftermath of the Second World War, 60 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: it's depended on funding from the United States, but the 61 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 2: country's unpaid obligations to the UN are now more than 62 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: three billion dollars. So when I sat down with UN 63 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 2: Secretary General Antonio Guterrez last week, I asked him can 64 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 2: the UN survive without US support? 65 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 5: We are having some massive cuts. The agencies have responded 66 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 5: in humanitarian aid and the Development Corporation, which means that 67 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 5: they reduce stuff, they shrunk their operations. So the UN 68 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 5: moves on, but of course the people impected by the 69 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 5: cuts suffer, which means less food distributed, less vaccines distributed, 70 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 5: less HIVH treatment distributed. So obviously the impact is not 71 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 5: in the end. The impact is in those that benefit 72 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 5: from the action of our humanitarian development agencies. On the 73 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 5: other hand, we have the assessed contributions, which means the 74 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 5: mandatory contributions that already red by member states for the 75 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 5: Secretariat and for the peacekeeping operations, and there are cuts 76 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 5: announced and cuts that probably will take place in the future. 77 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 5: We have been doing enough measures in the implementation. 78 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 4: Of this year's budget to be able to. 79 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 5: Move ahead, and we are preparing, if necessary, a series 80 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 5: of emergency measures to drastically reduce our peacekeeping operations. 81 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: Bloomberg's Magdalena Dovia says many people were hoping President Trump 82 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: would provide more information about the future sure of US 83 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 2: funding in his speech on Tuesday, but he didn't get 84 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: into specifics. 85 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: And it's not just because the US isn't paying. A 86 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: lot of countries aren't paying or they're paying late, and 87 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: so it's really hard for them to decide kind of 88 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: what they're going to fund, and the Secretary General has 89 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: made some proposals, but with so many different countries, with 90 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: so many different priorities, it's hard for them all to agree. 91 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: So even if the SG says, okay, we should combine 92 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: these two entities and fire this many people, for a 93 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: lot of these decisions, all the countries have to agree, 94 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: and so the bureaucracy could possibly get in the way 95 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: of making some hard cuts so. 96 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: That these countries who haven't paid what they've said they 97 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: would pay or they're supposed to pay. How would you 98 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 2: describe the current state of the UN how's it operating 99 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: without that financial scream. 100 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if it's related, but it 101 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: could be that the escalator in the telefronter didn't work 102 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: because they can't afford it. I know, no, we are 103 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: very much discussing here, but in the past they have 104 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: had to shut down escalators at certain hours to save money. 105 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: They turned off the air conditioning again, I think during 106 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 1: the weekend or like. They've had to make some decisions 107 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: like that about just the day to day. I think 108 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: some of the elevators sometimes didn't run things like that, 109 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: but more broadly, I think it means that if these 110 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: countries continue to not pay a lot of programs might 111 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: just disappear. Something that's really at risk is the UN's 112 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,799 Speaker 1: peacekeeping missions. The UN is going to cut about thirteen 113 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: percent of its workforce and about eleven percent of its funding, 114 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 1: and these missions are kind of the last resort for 115 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: a lot of countries. I mean, every institution that I've 116 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: talked to at the UN has this new motto where 117 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: they say they have to do less with less, So 118 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: I think everyone's trying to do that. More broadly, the 119 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: UN is moving a lot of its projects to places 120 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: where it's less expensive to live, so maybe instead of 121 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: New York and Geneva, they're going to Kenya or to Germany. 122 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: But there's also this push to make things more efficient 123 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: and to actually, instead of doing less with leus to 124 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: maybe try to do more with less. But obviously very 125 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: very difficult. 126 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: We're living in this moment when global power dynamics are 127 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: shifting so rapidly. There are several major conflicts unfolding all 128 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: around the world. I spoke with the UN Secretary General 129 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 2: on Friday, and Antonio Guterres told me we're now entering 130 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: into a multipolar world. 131 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 5: This is no longer a bipolar moons, This is no 132 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 5: longer a unipolar world. This is at the present moment 133 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,559 Speaker 5: the chaotic worlds but moving into a multi polar world. 134 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 5: And we need to build the multilateral institutions of the future. 135 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 5: That's why we are informing the UN. And let's not 136 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 5: forget there was multipolarity in Europe before the First World 137 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 5: War in the absence of multilateral institutions. 138 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 4: The result was, well. 139 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 2: It does seem like this is just the kind of 140 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 2: moment the UN was created eighty years ago to address. 141 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: A couple months ago, I spoke to someone and kind 142 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: of brought up the same question and his answer was, well, 143 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: we haven't had a Third World War yet, so the 144 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: UN is still working. But yeah, I mean, we have 145 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: the conflict between Israel and God, we had Russia and Ukraine. 146 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: There was actually a Security Council meeting called on by 147 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: Estonia to defend their own airspace, and now NATO is 148 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: saying that they're going to really defend their countries if 149 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: Russia flies over them. So there's also tension with Iran 150 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: right now. They're kind of in a very tight spot 151 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: where they have a week left to maybe come up 152 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: with a deal before the UN brings back sanctions on Iran. 153 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: But as long as we don't start World War three, 154 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: some experts say that the UN is working. 155 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: I want to go back to President Trump's speech, and 156 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 2: I wonder if you could draw a contrast between the 157 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 2: speech that he delivered in twenty twenty five and the 158 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: first speech he delivered eight years ago, help us understand 159 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 2: just how different the world is today than it was 160 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 2: eight years ago. I mean, President Trump had this ambition 161 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 2: to kind of reorder the global order. There were those 162 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 2: who didn't take him seriously before. He has been successful 163 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 2: in kind of pushing for or making a lot of 164 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: the changes that he said he would back then. 165 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: I think that's exactly right. I think eight years ago 166 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: people didn't take him as seriously. I think world leaders 167 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: of thought he was a bit of a joke. And 168 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: now he's here and he is not a joke. They're 169 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: taking him seriously. They're making sure to get in his 170 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: good grace. Is because they know he can and will 171 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: make their lives difficult if he wants to. 172 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: You hear the President's skepticism of the UN as it 173 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 2: exists today, and I'm curious how that affects the way 174 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 2: other Member states look at the US's role in the UN. 175 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 2: As you talk to people there, other diplomats, what do 176 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 2: they say just about the level of power influence that 177 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 2: the US has today. 178 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: Well, I think one of the hardest things for a 179 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: lot of the Members states is the reality that no 180 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: other country can really step up to take the US's place. 181 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: There is a lot of speculation that China might step 182 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: up and have more influence in the UN or a 183 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: different country, but the magnitude of the US's influence and 184 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: just I mean the sheer scope of the money they contributed, 185 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: no one can match that. So sure, some countries might 186 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: try here and there, but I mean, I think it's unmatchable. 187 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 2: Without the full backing of the US. How much can 188 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 2: the UN do to promote peace and security around the world, 189 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: That's next. One common criticism of the United Nations is 190 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 2: that when it comes to resolving conflict, one of its 191 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 2: main roles, it's ineffective. The UN Security Council has the 192 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 2: big and important role of maintaining security and peace around 193 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 2: the world, but it's often deadlocked, frozen, blocked from moving 194 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 2: forward because the Council's five permanent members. China, France, Russia, 195 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: the United Kingdom and the US have all powerful vetos 196 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 2: and often the countries can't agree. I ask Secretary General 197 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 2: Guterrez how the broader institution can continue to operate when 198 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 2: this central body is unable to do its job effectively. 199 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 4: T N is much more than this Security Council. 200 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 5: We are by far the main distributors a mimitarian aid 201 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 5: in the world. We are in the front line of 202 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 5: climate action, so we are involved in lots of activities 203 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 5: of all kinds to the benefit of the people around 204 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 5: the world. 205 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 4: We have a problem, yes, in the core area of 206 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 4: our activity, which is peace and security. 207 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 5: We depend on a Security Council that today has a 208 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 5: problem of legitimacy because it doesn't correspond anymore to the 209 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 5: world of today. When we were talking about multipolarity, where 210 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 5: is the multipolarity in the Security Council? Clearly not and 211 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 5: it has a problem with efficiency and that is a 212 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 5: serious restriction for our activity. But usually say, when we 213 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 5: do not have a dog, we hunt with a cat. 214 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 4: But we hunt. 215 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 2: On Tuesday, the Security Council had separate three hour meetings 216 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: on Gaza and Ukraine. 217 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: There are a lot of conversations about these conflicts, and 218 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: then I do think in the background there's that sense. 219 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: So do we need the UN for this or not? 220 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 2: The question of Palestinian statehood is of course front and 221 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 2: center at this gathering, Canada, the UK, and Australia announcing 222 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 2: they now recognize Palestinian statehood. What is your sense of 223 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 2: the significance of them doing that and how is that 224 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 2: reverberating around the UN this week. 225 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 1: I mean, it's pretty clear, and everyone has said that 226 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: it's mostly symbolic. I mean, in the long run, I 227 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: know that Macrone said he's hoping to have embassies and 228 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: to have more solid things that represent that France recognize 229 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: as Palestine as a state, and I'm sure other countries 230 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: are working on that as well, But for now, you know, 231 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 1: in the short term it is mostly just ideological, which 232 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: some countries think is good because it's going to put 233 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: pressure on Israel. Someone I spoke to yesterday actually said 234 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: it might be counterproductive because the pressure on Israel might 235 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: actually be a motivation for them to really bring down 236 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: the hammer harder than before because they feel more threatened. 237 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: So I mean, I guess we'll see what happened. 238 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 2: Another point of tension at this year's General Assembly is immigration. 239 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 2: In his Tuesday remarks, Trump called on other UN member 240 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 2: countries to clamp down on border security. 241 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 3: It's time to end the failed experiment of open borders. 242 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 4: You have to end it now. 243 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 3: Let's see. I can tell you I'm really good at 244 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 3: this stuff. Your countries are going to hell. 245 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 2: Trump has pressured the UN to change its protocols for 246 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: asylum seekers. 247 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: Basically, the UN has had this long standing rule for 248 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: how asylum should work, and the Trump administration they want, 249 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: I think, to have the countries that people arrive to 250 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: make more of the decisions rather than the people. They 251 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: shouldn't be able to decide which country to go to. 252 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: They should just like, you know, if you make it 253 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: to one place, then that's where you're stuck. You can't 254 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: suddenly decide to go somewhere else. I think Trump also 255 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: wants to propose that the host country can get to 256 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: decide when the asylum seeker can go back, Like they 257 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: can assess how the other country's doing, and if the 258 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 1: host country decides that it's okay, then the person can 259 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: be sent back. So they definitely want to make a. 260 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,439 Speaker 2: Lot of changes in light of what we've discussed. I 261 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 2: think the trajectory of the UN doesn't sound like it's 262 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 2: on a great path. What are your sources say about 263 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 2: where the organization is headed. 264 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: This is not the first year, and I don't think 265 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: it'll be the last year where people say that the 266 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: United Nations is in the crisis. I mean, I think 267 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: ever since it was founded, people have criticized it. People 268 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: have thought that it's going to fail, and it hasn't. 269 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: And a lot of the sources I've spoken to, I mean, 270 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: when you know, there was the crisis in Iran and 271 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: things like that, we're saying, yeah, the UN can't really 272 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: mitigate every single little fight between two countries. They just 273 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: have to make sure the big picture stays okay. And 274 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: so yeah, I think. I mean, someone was saying, we're 275 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: going to be here next year again, and we're going 276 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: to be one if we're going to be here the 277 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: year after that, but we probably will. Like, I don't 278 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: think the UN is going anywhere, even though people every 279 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: year think it might be its last year. 280 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 2: This is the Big Take from Bloomberg News. I'm David Gura. 281 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 2: To get more from The Big Take and unlimited access 282 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 2: to all of Bloomberg dot com, subscribe today at bloomberg 283 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 2: dot com. Slash Podcast offer thanks for listening. We'll be 284 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 2: back tomorrow.