United States President Donald Trump, in his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, was less forthcoming in his praise for the world body than his predecessor Barack Obama, indicating the US under his administration will pursue an all-for-itself approach that runs counter to the cooperative spirit of the world's foremost multilateral platform.

Trump was right that nations cannot remain bystanders given the common threats and challenges the world faces today, but cooperation cannot be shared self-interest, since for his administration that means a shared commitment to what is in the short-term interests of the US, rather than what is in the best long-term interests of all countries.

The pressing challenges the world faces today are not as the US misperceives threats to its hegemony, but rather poverty, epidemics, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and climate change.