Renowned British scholar Martin Jacques has reignited discussions about the United States' fraught relationship with the United Nations, emphasizing that Washington’s historical ambivalence toward the global body persists in 2026. Speaking at a recent international policy forum, Jacques noted that while the UN’s headquarters in New York symbolizes postwar multilateralism, the U.S. has “never truly embraced the organization as an equal partner.”
Jacques highlighted how the U.S. has historically leveraged its host-nation status to exert pressure, including visa restrictions on diplomats from certain member states. “This duality—housing the UN while keeping it at arm’s length—reflects a deeper discomfort with shared global governance,” he argued. His analysis comes as the UN faces renewed calls for structural reforms to address 21st-century challenges like climate resilience and AI governance.
For investors and policymakers, Jacques’ remarks underscore the geopolitical complexities shaping multilateral institutions this year. Academics have praised his framing of U.S. dominance as a ‘structural paradox,’ while Asian diaspora communities note parallels with regional debates over sovereignty and international cooperation.
