Trump administration pressures Palestinian UN envoy to drop General Assembly vice presidency bid

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The Trump administration has threatened to revoke the visas of the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations if Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour does not end his candidacy for the vice presidency of the UN General Assembly, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters and the Guardian.

The cable, dated 19 May, instructed US diplomats at the embassy in Jerusalem to deliver a démarche to the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership, warning that the bid "fuels tensions" and risks undermining President Trump's Gaza peace plan, and that "consequences will follow" if the candidacy was not withdrawn by 22 May.

"To be clear, we will hold the PA responsible if the Palestinian delegation does not withdraw its VPGA candidacy," the cable stated, according to Reuters. The cable was marked "sensitive but unclassified."

On 21 May, the Palestinian authorities withdrew the nomination of Mansour for the vice presidency of the 81st session of the General Assembly, as confirmed by La Neice Collins, spokeswoman for the office of the current session's president.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the story has been consistent across international outlets, though with varying emphasis. Reuters and The Guardian both obtained the State Department cable and highlighted the direct threat of visa revocation. The Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, focused on the visa sanctions warning. TASS, the Russian state agency, confirmed the withdrawal of the nomination and included a statement from Russia's UN envoy criticizing US actions as an abuse of host country status.

The Guardian's report added context on the administration's broader resistance to Palestinian statehood and noted that Mansour had previously withdrawn his candidacy for the presidency of the General Assembly in February after US lobbying, a move that Washington said showed he "understood the gravity of the issue and intended to be constructive."

TASS reported that the UN General Assembly's presidential office received a nomination for the vice presidency from Lebanon, filling the vacancy left by the Palestinian withdrawal.

Key Claims

• US threat of visa revocation: According to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters, the US threatened to revoke visas for Palestinian UN officials unless Mansour withdrew his candidacy. The cable warned that the State Department's September 2025 decision to waive visa sanctions for Palestinian officials could be revisited. "It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options," the cable said, as first reported by NPR.

• Palestinian candidacy withdrawn: The nomination of Riyad Mansour for the vice presidency of the 81st session was withdrawn as of 21 May, according to a statement from the UN president's office reported by TASS.

• Previous withdrawal: Mansour had previously withdrawn his candidacy for the presidency of the General Assembly in February following US lobbying, according to The Guardian. The cable cited this as evidence that the Palestinian side was aware of US concerns.

• Election timeline: The election of the General Assembly president and 16 vice presidents is scheduled for 2 June, as reported by The Guardian.

• Palestinian status at UN: The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank and is not a full member of the UN General Assembly, holding no vote. This fact was noted in Reuters' reporting and corroborated by The Guardian.

Perspectives

US Administration: The State Department cable frames the Palestinian bid as "fuels tensions" and a risk to Trump's Gaza peace plan. The administration argues that the vice presidency could allow Palestinians to chair high-profile debates on the Middle East, which Washington regards as problematic. The State Department spokesperson said, "We take seriously our obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement," but declined to comment on visa record confidentiality.

Palestinian Leadership: The Palestinian mission to the UN did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The withdrawal of the candidacy suggests compliance with US pressure, though no public statement from Palestinian officials has been reported.

Russian UN Mission: Russian Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya has criticized the US for abusing its status as host country of the UN headquarters. He cited the recent denial of a visa to a Russian delegate for a UN committee session despite timely submission of documents. Nebenzya expressed hope that the UN Secretariat would take comprehensive measures to end this "politicized practice," including initiating arbitration proceedings.

Israeli Officials: The Guardian's report adds that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has been blocking PA revenue and has called for the destruction of the PA, though this claim appears only in that outlet and has not been independently verified.

Temporal Context: The visa waiver mentioned in the cable was a September 2025 decision, indicating that the US had previously granted some relief to Palestinian UN officials. The cable's reference to this waiver suggests that the threat of revocation is a reversal of that policy.

Correction/Clarification: Initial reports of the threat came from NPR, which first reported the cable's contents. Reuters and The Guardian subsequently confirmed via their own access to the document.