Donald Trump has threatened to withhold “billions” of dollars of US aid from countries that vote in favour of a United Nations resolution rejecting the US president’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The warning came after US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, wrote to about 180 member states, saying she would be “taking names” of countries that support the resolution.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said: “We’ll save a lot. We don’t care. But this isn’t like it used to be where they could vote against you and then you pay them hundreds of millions of dollars. We’re not going to be taken advantage of any longer.” The threat appeared aimed largely at UN members in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which are regarded as more vulnerable to US pressure.
Egypt, which drafted Monday’s UN Security Council resolution that the US vetoed, is particularly vulnerable, receiving $1.2bn in US aid last year. Key US allies including Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine were among the 14 council members that voted in favour on Monday and were expected to do the same at the General Assembly on Thursday.
The emergency General Assembly meeting was called to protest against the US veto. The draft resolution reaffirms 10 Security Council resolutions on Jerusalem dating back to 1967, stating that any decisions altering the city’s status “have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded”. Diplomats expect strong support for the non-binding resolution despite US pressure.
In a letter to UN ambassadors, Haley said Trump took the issue personally and would be watching the vote carefully. Trump added: “I like the message that Nikki sent yesterday at the United Nations. Our great citizens who love this country are tired of this country being taken advantage of.”
