Letter to Marta Santos Pais on the Need for the SG to Phone Trump : Shared by Kul Gautam

Dear Marta,

I believe this is very wise advice to S-G Guterres, especially coming from a very pro-UN historian, Stephen Schlesinger, the author of “Act of Creation: The Founding of The United Nations,” which won the 2004 Harry S. Truman Book Award. This is one of the finest books I have read on the origins of the UN, and a must-read for all aficionados of the UN.

I believe Guterres has much to gain and nothing to lose by reaching out to Donald Trump at this critical juncture for the UN. As Schlesinger says, "Guterres owes it to his constituents, 193 countries, and the entire world to make the call. Trump has publicly invited him to do it. If he doesn’t, he’ll never know whether he could have reversed the UN’s troubled straits. It’s only a few numbers to punch on the keypad to put the call through. He should do it to preserve the institution that he has spent almost 10 years running. It will be his greatest legacy — and, if he does not, his greatest shame".

I hope you and Joao can reach out to S-G Guterres and urge him to follow Schlesinger's advice — (not just to make a call, but to actually seek a personal meeting with DJT at the White House, and make a direct appeal to him to fund the UN, and also take up his offer to call other leaders to honor their obligation to fund the UN).

As Guterres is both a skilled diplomat and an astute politician, he should be able to speak to DJT with adequate flattery, but without compromising on principles and his personal dignity.

If Guterres ever needed to call & meet DJT for the sake of the UN, now is the time. If not now, when?

Fingers crossed - With best wishes,

Kul


Advice to UN's Guterres: Call Trump!

Stephen Schlesinger

PassBlue

February 6, 2026

Click here for the article: 

Summary

In an interview with Politico, US President Trump suggested he could resolve the UN's financial crisis if the organization asked for his help, stating he could get member states to pay their dues quickly. 

When asked why Secretary-General António Guterres had not called Trump, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric responded that member states have obligations to pay and dismissed the need for such outreach. 

The author, in this opinion essay, argues that Guterres is making a critical error by not taking Trump up on his offer, given the UN's dire financial situation with warnings it could run out of cash by summer and potentially shut its New York headquarters. The author contends that Guterres should set aside pride and make the call to test Trump's promise, as this may be the only chance to save the organization financially.

Quotes

"The U.N. is not leaving New York, and it's not leaving the United States, because the U.N. has tremendous potential."

"If they came to Trump and told him, I'd get everybody to pay up, just like I got NATO to pay up. All I have to do is call these countries . . . they would send checks within minutes."

"When I'm no longer around to settle wars, the U.N. can. It has tremendous potential. Tremendous."

"Look, for us, there's no need to discuss what are obligations, right? It's a pretty basic accounting issue. People owe money; they have obligations. They need to pay it. That's how you solve the problem."



"He should make the call!! What does he have to lose, given the frightening abyss to which the UN has fallen."