Waltz condemns UN mishaps during Trump UN speech, vows funding freeze until reforms

WASHINGTON — United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz said the mishaps that disrupted President Trump's address to the United Nations General Assembly were unacceptable and that the United States will withhold funding until broad reforms are put in place. In an appearance on Fox Business' Kudlow, Waltz cited an escalator malfunction, a failed teleprompter, the auditorium sound cutting out and a broadcast momentarily switching to Portuguese during Trump's remarks, noting there were about 150 world leaders in attendance.

According to Waltz, the incidents are under review by the Secret Service and the U.N. secretary-general has pledged full cooperation. He said the sequence of events was not only embarrassing but potentially serious for diplomacy when so many heads of state were gathered. The U.S. has already withheld its U.N. contribution for the current year, he said, and the administration is pressing for reforms before any future funding decisions are made. Ruffing the focus beyond the technical glitches, Waltz turned to a broader critique of the U.N.'s structure, arguing the organization has a bloated bureaucracy and that seven separate agencies concentrate on climate issues alone. He said the U.N. needs to be fundamentally restructured before any further taxpayer money is released.

The envoy noted that his first conversations with the U.N. secretary-general centered on reforms that must be enacted before the U.S. resumes funding. He invoked a historic push by Sen. Jesse Helms in 1999 to clean up the United Nations, saying transparency and accountability remain essential as Washington weighs its leverage. The notes accompanying his remarks describe Waltz as the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and characterize him as a former national security adviser, underscoring his stance on a sweeping overhaul of U.N. operations before funding flows again.

Observers say the broader U.S. message is that long-standing criticisms of U.N. governance—especially around efficiency, authority, and climate-program fragmentation—will determine why Washington withholds support until there is demonstrable reform. While some allies argue for continued engagement, the administration has emphasized that any restoration of funds will depend on concrete steps toward greater transparency, clearer accountability, and a tighter prioritization of U.N. programs aligned with U.S. interests. The unfolding situation underscores the high-stakes diplomacy surrounding multilateral funding and the difficult balance between maintaining international institutions and demanding meaningful reform.

The incidents at the General Assembly occurred on Sept. 23, 2025, as world leaders gathered in New York. The sessions were being broadcast to a global audience, and the disruptions drew immediate scrutiny from Washington. Waltz reaffirmed that the United States will not release tax dollars to the U.N. until reforms are implemented and transparency is ensured, signaling a potentially protracted standoff that could influence U.N. operations and climate diplomacy in the near term.

Meanwhile, Trump’s remarks to the General Assembly and the surrounding controversy have kept attention focused on how the United States will leverage its funding to push for reform. Waltz’s comments align with a broader U.S. push to recalibrate how the international body functions and to ensure that global governance aligns with defined, enforceable standards of transparency and accountability. As the administration weighs its next steps, observers expect a continuing emphasis on structural reform before any renewed financial commitments. The world will be watching to see whether the U.N. can adapt quickly enough to meet these demands or whether Washington will maintain its leverage by sustaining funding freezes until progress is evident.