Trump threatens to cut aid to countries who oppose US Jerusalem move in UN vote

Echoing earlier statements by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, President Donald Trump threatened to slash aid to nations that vote in the UN against the US’ decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

By: World Israel News Staff

As the Palestinians and their allies attempt to marshal opposition at the United Nations (UN) to the announcement that the US recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and will move its embassy there, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning regarding foreign aid.

“For all of these nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council or they vote against us, potentially, at the Assembly, they take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,” Trump began, speaking on Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting.

“Well, we’re watching those votes,” Trump warned. “Let them vote against us. 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 and nobody knows what they’re doing.”

President Trump’s message mirrored comments made a day earlier by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who communicated to fellow UN ambassadors that Trump is watching the vote closely.

“The US will be taking names,” Haley declared.

“At the UN we’re always asked to do more and give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people, about where to locate OUR embassy, we don’t expect those we’ve helped to target us,” Haley tweeted.

In a letter shared with Bloomberg News, Haley advised several countries, including allies of the US, that the president “requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue.”

The diplomats claimed that Haley’s letter would have minimal impact on their vote.