On Thursday, Ambassador Mike Waltz criticized what he deemed an “unacceptable” speech by President Donald Trump, stating he would withhold U.S. funding until necessary reforms are made. Waltz spoke on Fox Business’s “Kudlow,” where host Larry Kudlow inquired about what seemed like an attempt by the UN to undermine the president.
Kudlow highlighted some disruptions, noting that when Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived, the escalator malfunctioned, and later, the teleprompter failed, resulting in sound issues in the auditorium. Waltz remarked that, oddly, the broadcast audio switched from English to Portuguese during Trump’s speech.
“Everything feels off,” Waltz commented. “There’s a gathering of 150 world leaders, and this kind of disruption only happens to him—three times, to be exact.” He mentioned that the Secret Service is looking into the incident, and the Executive Director has promised full cooperation.
Waltz expressed concern that this situation could have been serious, pointedly emphasizing its offensive nature on American soil.
He proceeded to address the need for reform at the UN, criticizing its extensive bureaucracy and mentioning that there are several institutions solely dedicated to climate issues. According to him, no U.S. taxpayer money should flow to the UN until these reforms are made. He confirmed that the U.S. had already withheld contributions this year.
“We haven’t paid anything yet,” Waltz stated, adding that during their first meeting with the Executive Director, they discussed the necessary reforms before any further financial commitments could be contemplated. He referenced Senator Jesse Helms’ push in 1999, asserting the importance of transparency and accountability to improve the UN’s credibility before releasing U.S. funds.
Waltz reiterated, “We have a responsibility to ensure we are transparent.”
