Jerusalem vote: Trump will be watching; US will take notes, says envoy

UN members are warned of possible retaliation should they back up a resolution targeting the United States’ decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. US President Donald Trump was said to be taking names and appeared to suggest that opponents could possibly face a cutoff in funding.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley’s letter to most of the 193 UN member states, which appeared to be a warning, was criticised by Palestinian and Turkish foreign ministers, who will be heading to New York for the General Assembly vote. They have been quick to accuse Trump’s country of intimidation.

Haley defended Wednesday’s letter, saying the Trump administration is only asking “that you acknowledge the historical friendship, partnership, and support we have extended and respect our decision about our own embassy.” The letter was sent to more than 180 countries, it has been reported.

AP has obtained a copy of the letter, stating that the president will be carefully watching the vote. It added that Trump requested that countries that vote “against us” will be reported to him and that the US will take note of these votes.

In her tweet, the US ambassador reiterated that the US will be taking names. Haley had already warned of keeping a record of US opponents in the past. In January, she announced a new way for the US to perform business. The goal of the Trump administration was to show strength, speak out and defend its allies. This took place the same day she arrived at the United Nations as ambassador.

The POTUS expressed support for Haley’s message. On Wednesday, he told reporters at a Cabinet meeting in Washington that opponents are likely to face a cutoff in funding.

“For all these nations, they take our money and then vote against us,” Trump said. He added the nations take hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars. “Let them vote against us- we’ll save a lot, we don’t care,” the US commander-in-chief added, according to Press Herald.

The vote was sought by the Palestinians after the US vetoed a resolution supported by other UN Security Council members. It would have required Trump to withdraw his declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Although assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they reflect world opinion.