Trump vs. The World

The president delivers his first U.N. address Tuesday. Which version of Trump will show up—the bully or the dealmaker?

By , executive editor for news at Foreign Policy from 2017-2018.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets US President Donald Trump  prior to the start of the first working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 7.
Leaders of the world's top economies will gather from July 7 to 8, 2017 in Germany for likely the stormiest G20 summit in years, with disagreements ranging from wars to climate change and global trade. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / IAN LANGSDON        (Photo credit should read IAN LANGSDON/AFP/Getty Images)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets US President Donald Trump prior to the start of the first working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 7. Leaders of the world's top economies will gather from July 7 to 8, 2017 in Germany for likely the stormiest G20 summit in years, with disagreements ranging from wars to climate change and global trade. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / IAN LANGSDON (Photo credit should read IAN LANGSDON/AFP/Getty Images)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets US President Donald Trump prior to the start of the first working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 7. Leaders of the world's top economies will gather from July 7 to 8, 2017 in Germany for likely the stormiest G20 summit in years, with disagreements ranging from wars to climate change and global trade. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / IAN LANGSDON (Photo credit should read IAN LANGSDON/AFP/Getty Images)

All eyes will be on President Donald Trump this week as world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The president has called the international body “weak “ and “incompetent.” But now he may need the 193-member organization to diffuse tense situations, from Pyongyang to Tehran.

All eyes will be on President Donald Trump this week as world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The president has called the international body “weak “ and “incompetent.” But now he may need the 193-member organization to diffuse tense situations, from Pyongyang to Tehran.

On this week’s first episode of The E.R., executive editor for news Sharon Weinberger talks with U.N. expert Richard Gowan and FP’s Colum Lynch to preview Trump’s remarks and the other business on the table. After months of U.N. bashing, will Trump take the opportunity air his grievances directly?

Richard Gowan is an associate fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and nonresident fellow at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation, where he was previously research director. He also teaches at Columbia University. Follow him on Twitter at: @RichardGowan1.

Colum Lynch is FP’s U.N.-based senior diplomatic reporter. Follow him on Twitter: @columlynch.

Sharon Weinberger is FP’s executive editor for news. She is the author of The Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, the Pentagon Agency That Changed the WorldFollow her on Twitter: @weinbergersa.

Tune in, now three times a week, to FP’s The E.R.

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