Did the United Nations order President Trump to "stand down" in Portland? No, that's not true. An article that has gone viral claiming the UN has told Trump to "stop Federal officers from using non-lethal force against 'peaceful protesters'" in Portland is incorrect. The United Nations does not have the power to "order" the United States, or any other nation, to do anything, per the U.N. charter. In fact, the United States has a veto over any UN Security Council resolution.
The story appeared as an article published by Conservative-Daily.com on July 26, 2020, titled "Breaking: United Nations Orders Trump To Stand Down In Portland" (archived here) which opened:
The United Nations just ordered the Trump administration to stand down in Portland! This is what we have been warning about. For over a month, the United Nations has been carrying out a 'human rights investigation' against the United States.
Users on social media only saw this title, description and thumbnail:
Breaking: United Nations Orders Trump To Stand Down In Portland
The United Nations just ordered the Trump administration to stand down in Portland!This is what we have been warning about. For over a month, the United Nations has been carrying out a 'human rights investigation' against the United States.
The article opened with a dire message about the UN's purported moves against the United States.
First, they were investigating the US over "systemic racism." They ordered the United States to crack down on police officers, otherwise the UN would mount an intervention. Yes, this is really what the UN Human Rights Council said last month..."
The article continues:
Nevertheless, the UN believes they have an opening to intervene in our country's affairs. The United Nations delivered a formal stand down order to the Trump administration this week, ordering the President to stop Federal officers from using non-lethal force against "peaceful protesters" in Portland.
This is how the UN uses the tax dollars we send them... Against us!
The article is not true. The link from the highlighted word "ordering" goes to the UN News website with an article with the headline "Human rights office decries disproportionate use of force in US protests." Here are details from that article:
People taking part in peaceful demonstrations across the United States, and journalists covering these protests, should not be subjected to disproportionate use of force or other violations, the UN human rights office said on Friday.Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell was answering a reporter's question about the US authorities deploying federal security officers to various cities to quell demonstrations against racial injustice, sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, while in police custody in Minneapolis on 25 May.
"Peaceful demonstrations that have been taking place in cities in the US, such as Portland, really must be able to continue without those participating in them - and also, the people reporting on them, the journalists - risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary, disproportionate or discriminatory use of force, or suffering other violations of their rights", said Ms. Throssell.
There was no "order" for President Trump to "stand down" in Portland. Throssell did say that the UN will be issuing a "general comment or guidance" statement about demonstrations "across the world" on July 29, 2020, but did not demand Trump do anything differently.
While the United Nations works to maintain peace throughout the world and does issue statements opposing violence or human rights abuses, the U.N. charter specifically states that the organization has no authority to intervene in any country's government.
Here is the link to the Charter of the UN noting that it has no authority to step in to a member nation's internal dispute.
CHAPTER I: PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES
Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll.
The United Nations could never pass a resolution ordering the United States to do anything considering the USA is a permanent member of the Security Council and has a veto on any proposal.
