WASHINGTON — The escalator stopped working as President Donald Trump and the first lady entered the United Nations on Tuesday. Then, as Trump began to deliver his speech to the General Assembly, the teleprompter didn't work.

Whether the glitches were engineered or not, Trump saw the stumbles as proof that the U.N. is not up to his standards. They also served as permission structures for Trump to ask what he no doubt planned to ask: "What is the purpose of the United Nations?"

"All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter — and then never follow that letter up," Trump told the room.

Message to Our Betters in the International Community: You don't look strong recognizing a Palestinian state that does not even exist on paper.

"Your countries are going to hell," Trump warned as he lambasted the UNGA lords, not only for embracing a two-state solution, but also for supporting open borders and global warming.

Trump also warned that the resolution's recognition of a Palestinian state wrongly would reward the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that left some 1,200 dead in Israel. He called on the world to rally behind a better message: "Release the hostages now."

For Trump, UNGA never has been Woodstock.

During his first UNGA in 2017, Trump was the bull in Turtle Bay's china shop. He called North Korea strongman Kim Jong Un "Little Rocket Man."

In 2018, dignitaries laughed when Trump proclaimed, "In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country."

This go-round, Trump has solid accomplishments in his portfolio. He ordered an airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities, backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even as U.S. allies distanced themselves, and wrangled NATO nations to agree they should funnel a higher percentage of their GDP - 5% — on national-security spending.

Now they can snicker — but at their own risk.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu described Trump's Tuesday morning address as "a victory lap" for his foreign policy.

That's also a loss for America's weak-kneed allies. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Belgium, Portugal and some of those teensy boutique countries, like Malta, Monaco and Luxembourg, recognized a nonexistent Palestinian state because they care more about virtue signaling than security.

Americans at least know who the bad guys are.

"Hamas welcomes the recognition of a Palestinian state by Britain, Canada, and Australia," Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon posted on X. "If Hamas is applauding you, you're on the wrong side of history."

CC that to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Taleblu reminds me that Germany and Italy have not gone to the dark side — so Trump, "he's got enough backup."

Besides, as Trump observed, the hallowed hall on the Hudson can't even keep the escalators working during the august body's biggest event of the year. As a builder himself, Trump can't help but look at the U.N. as broken.

During his remarks, Trump didn't even go after the U.K., France or his favorite target of late, Canada.

It's Trump's nonchalance over the vote count, Taleblu noted, that shows how utterly irrelevant the United Nations has made itself.

Contact Review-Journal Washington columnist Debra J. Saunders at [email protected]. Follow @debrajsaunders on X.

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