Trump On U.N. Jerusalem Vote: 'Let Them Vote Against Us. We'll Save a Lot'

The United Nations is expected to vote Thursday against a Trump administration decision that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley promised to "take the names" of those countries voting against the United States.

Like Ronald Reagan before him, President Trump is taking on the United Nations. At the final cabinet meeting of the year, he delivered some words of warning to the general assembly  about  the capital of Israel vote.

"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us. well, we're watching  those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care," the president insisted.

Earlier in the week U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley put out a tweet saying:

"At the U.N. we're always asked to do more and give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people about where to locate OUR embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us. On Thursday, there'll be a vote criticizing our choice. The U.S. will be taking names."

The United States sends the United Nations $8 billion a year. That's about 22% of the world body's annual budget. $3 billion is for international peacekeeping efforts.

Donald Trump, like President Ronald Reagan has complained that the money America sends is mismanaged by a bloated bureaucracy -- a general assembly that often votes against Israel and America's interests.

"The people who live here are great citizens that love this country. They're tired of this country being taken advantage of and we're not going to be taken advantage of any longer," Trump said.

And before closing out the final cabinet meeting of 2017, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Ben Carson offered up a prayer.
 
" ...In this time of discord, distrust  and dishonesty we ask that you would give us a spirit of compassion, gratitude, and common sense and give us the wisdom to be able to guide this great nation in the future. We ask in the nameof the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. "