US President Donald Trump has said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was working hard to "Make the United Nations Great Again and lauded his UN envoy Nikki Haley for doing a fantastic job at the world body.
Guterres met Trump in the White House on Friday and, according to a readout provided by the UN Chief's office, the two discussed the situation in the broader Middle East, the Korean Peninsula and the ongoing United Nations reform. The Secretary-General also expressed his appreciation for the continued US engagement in the work of the United Nations.
Following the meeting, Trump, in a tweet, praised the UN Secretary General for his leadership at the UN, saying he was working to make the world body "great again," using his campaign phrase of 'Make America Great Again.'
The relationship between the UN and Trump has been contentious as Trump has been very critical of the world body. His administration has pulled out of the landmark UN agreement -- the Paris Climate deal, underscoring the rift between the US and UN. As President-elect, Trump had tweeted that the United Nations has great potential "but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!"