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United Nations (U.N.) Chief António Guterres warned that the U.S. has sidelined international law in favor of raw power — a sharp critique delivered in a BBC interview as President Donald Trump continues to question the value of such global institutions.
Guterres told BBC Radio 4 that U.S. foreign policy reflects what he described as a belief that “the power of law should be replaced by the law of power,” arguing that Washington increasingly relies on its influence rather than international norms.
“Indeed, when one sees the present policy of the United States, there is a clear conviction that multilateral solutions are not relevant and that what matters is the exercise of the power and the influence of the United States and sometimes, in this respect, by the norms of international law.”
His remarks follow recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s public insistence that the U.S. must own Greenland, as well as Trump’s long-standing skepticism toward the United Nations and other global bodies.
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Guterres’ comments also come as parts of the U.N. are reducing their presence in the U.S. The U.N. Development Program Monday announced it will relocate nearly 400 New York–based positions to Europe, moving most of those jobs to Germany and Spain.
United Nations Chief António Guterres warned that the U.S. has sidelined international law in favor of raw power. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
Trump repeatedly has questioned the value of the U.N., telling world leaders during the 2025 General Assembly that the organization “did not even try” to help end conflicts he claimed his administration resolved independently.
Guterres claimed the organization he leads was “extremely engaged” in trying to help bring an end to global conflicts but conceded “the big powers have stronger leverage” and admitted the organization struggles to compel compliance with its charter.
Critics of the U.N. have long argued that the body is ineffective, politically biased and disproportionately funded by the United States, while allowing rivals such as China and Russia to wield veto power on the Security Council.
Guterres told BBC Radio 4 that U.S. foreign policy reflects what he described as a belief that “the power of law should be replaced by the law of power,” arguing that Washington increasingly relies on its influence rather than international norms. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
His remarks follow recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s public insistence that the U.S. must own Greenland, as well as Trump’s long-standing skepticism toward the United Nations and other global bodies. (Julia Wäschenbach/picture alliance/Getty Images)
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Guterres also renewed calls to reform the Security Council, arguing it no longer reflects the modern world and has become gridlocked by vetoes used to advance national interests — including by the U.S. and Russia in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza.
He was also critical of the fact that “three European countries” were permanent members, arguing the current composition does not “give voice to the whole world.”
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Trump took his own criticisms directly before the U.N. Security Council in September 2025. “Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, too often, it is actually creating new problems for us to solve,” he said in a speech.
“All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up… empty words don’t solve war.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Guterres’ statements and has yet to receive a reply.
