US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the United Nations General Assembly [Brendan Smialowsky/AFP]

U.S. President Donald Trump has rebuked the United Nations, accusing the global body of offering “empty words” and failing to act in the face of global conflicts.

Speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, President Trump questioned the relevance and effectiveness of the UN, claiming it has fallen short of its founding goals.

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked. “It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. For the most part, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. It’s empty words, and empty words don’t solve war. The only thing that solves wars is action.”

“I Ended Seven Wars — Not the UN”

Trump went further to contrast the UN’s alleged inaction with what he described as his own administration’s efforts to end longstanding international conflicts. He listed a number of countries and regions where he claimed to have played a direct role in securing peace.

“In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven unendable wars,” he said.

“These include Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

He criticized the UN for failing to assist or even acknowledge these efforts.

“It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations. In all cases, the UN did not even try to help. I never even received a phone call offering support,” Trump added.

“All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that stopped halfway and a broken teleprompter.”

Founded in 1945 after the Second World War, the United Nations is composed of 193 Member States and is guided by the principles of its founding Charter. It is considered the central platform for diplomacy, international cooperation, and global problem-solving.

The UN has played significant roles in peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, human rights advocacy, and conflict resolution.

However, it has also faced criticism over bureaucracy, inefficiency, and its limited ability to enforce decisions in conflict zones.

Trump’s remarks are likely to reignite debates over the UN’s global role, particularly as international conflicts and crises continue to escalate in various parts of the world.