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President Donald Trump, in a brief phone call with POLITICO, presented himself as the savior of the United Nations at risk of financial collapse, praising his ability to get members to pay outstanding dues.
But on Sunday he refused to say whether the United States would repay the billions of dollars it owes the international body.
Trump said he was unaware that the US was behind on its commitments to the UN, but was confident he could "solve the problem very easily" and make other countries pay, if the UN asked for it.
" If they came to Trump and said, I would make everyone pay, just like I made NATO pay. All I have to do is call these countries... they would send a check within minutes ," he said.
Trump's comments follow a report in The New York Times that senior UN officials have warned that the organization could be forced to scale back operations, or even close its New York headquarters, if it runs out of money. Trump immediately dismissed the idea.
" I don't think it's appropriate. The UN is not leaving New York and it's not leaving the United States, because the UN has tremendous potential ," Trump said, striking a defensive tone toward an institution he has often attacked.
Trump's remarks are notable for a president who has relied on the "America First" doctrine and, in the last month, seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, threatened to attack Iran and take Greenland from Danish control.
Trump has also withdrawn from numerous multilateral institutions in both his first and second terms. Most recently, in January, he signed an executive order withdrawing the US from 66 organizations, agencies and commissions, including the UN population agency and the UN treaty that establishes international climate negotiations.
Last year, the Trump administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid and dismantled USAID, and regularly portrayed international organizations as tools for other countries to take advantage of the United States.
Against this backdrop, Trump's defense of the United Nations, at least in principle, is striking. While he insisted that the organization has failed to deliver on its promise, he described it as an institution that remains indispensable, especially now that its role on the global stage is finally coming to an end.
" When I'm no longer there to resolve wars, the UN can. It has tremendous potential. Tremendous," he said, acknowledging that he won't always be the one intervening in global conflicts.
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