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Version 2 Version 3
Trump Vows to ‘Totally Destroy’ North Korea if It Threatens U.S. With Combative Style and Epithets, Trump Takes America First to the U.N.
(about 3 hours later)
UNITED NATIONS — President Trump brought a characteristically confrontational message to the United Nations on Tuesday as he vowed to “totally destroy North Korea” if it threatened the United States or its allies and denounced the nuclear agreement with Iran as “an embarrassment” that he may abandon. UNITED NATIONS — President Trump brought the same confrontational style of leadership he has used at home to the world’s most prominent stage on Tuesday as he vowed to “totally destroy North Korea” if it threatened the United States and denounced the nuclear agreement with Iran as “an embarrassment” that he may abandon.
In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Trump framed the conflicts with “rogue regimes” like North Korea, Iran and Venezuela as a test of the international system. With typically bombastic flourishes like vowing to crush “loser terrorists” and labeling North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, “Rocket Man,” Mr. Trump at times dispensed with the restrained rhetoric many American presidents use at the United Nations. In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Trump framed the conflicts as a test of the international system. The bombastic flourishes that generate approving roars at political events were met by stony silence, interrupted a few times by a smattering of applause, as Mr. Trump promised to “crush loser terrorists,” mocked North Korea’s leader as “Rocket Man” and declared that parts of the world “are going to hell.”
“If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph,” he said as the audience of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and diplomats remained largely stone-faced. “When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength.” He asserted that some parts of the world “are going to hell.” The president’s tone carried real-world implications for the future of the United Nations and the escalating confrontations with international outliers. In the space of 42 minutes, he upended decades of rhetorical support by the United States for the collective philosophy of the United Nations as he defended his America First policy. He repeatedly extolled “sovereignty” in a setting where the term traditionally has been brandished by nations like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea to deflect criticism.
He also sought to explain his America First policy to an audience concerned about what it means for United States leadership in the world. From the dais of an organization meant to bring nations together, Mr. Trump argued that nationalism can be the foundation for strong nations to join common causes. He repeatedly used the word “sovereignty” to describe his approach in a setting where the term traditionally has been brandished by nations like Russia and China to deflect criticism of their actions. “As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always and should always put your countries first,” he said, generating light applause in parts of the chamber. But he argued that nationalism can be the foundation for strong nations to join common causes.
Mr. Trump singled out North Korea for his harshest words, broadening his indictment of the Pyongyang government beyond just its pursuit of nuclear weapons to its treatment of its own people and captured foreigners like the American college student who died shortly after being released and sent back to the United States. “If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph,” he said. “When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength.”
Mr. Trump singled out North Korea, broadening his indictment of the Pyongyang government beyond its pursuit of nuclear weapons to its treatment of its own people and captured foreigners like the American college student who died shortly after being sent back to the United States.
“No nation on Earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles,” Mr. Trump said. “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.”“No nation on Earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles,” Mr. Trump said. “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.”
Without mentioning it by name, Mr. Trump also chastised China for continuing to deal with its rogue neighbor. “It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would arm, supply and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict,” the president said. Without mentioning it by name, Mr. Trump also chastised China for continuing to deal with its rogue neighbor, calling it “an outrage that some nations” would trade, arm and support North Korea.
He went on to assail the Iran agreement, which was negotiated by President Barack Obama and leaders of five other powers and ratified by the United Nations Security Council to curb Tehran’s nuclear program for a decade in exchange for lifting international sanctions. Under American law, Mr. Trump has until Oct. 15 to certify whether Iran is complying with the agreement, which he has done twice so far since taking office. But he has made clear that he would prefer not to do so again, which could result in the unraveling of the accord. He assailed the Iran agreement, which was negotiated by President Barack Obama and leaders of five other powers and ratified by the United Nations Security Council to curb Tehran’s nuclear program for a decade in exchange for lifting international sanctions. Under American law, Mr. Trump has until Oct. 15 to certify whether Iran is complying with the agreement, which he has done twice so far since taking office. But he has made clear that he would prefer not to do so again, which could unravel the accord.
“The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into,” Mr. Trump told the United Nations audience. “Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it, believe me.” “The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into,” Mr. Trump said. “Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it, believe me.”
The tough words cheered the delegation from Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and advisers applauded. In his own speech later, he said Mr. Trump had “rightly called the nuclear deal with Iran an embarrassment” and pointed to North Korea as an example. The tough words cheered the delegation from Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, applauded from the gallery and called it the boldest speech he had heard at the United Nations in 30 years. In his own address later, he said Mr. Trump had “rightly called the nuclear deal with Iran an embarrassment” and pointed to North Korea as an example.
“In the last few months, we’ve all seen how dangerous even a few nuclear weapons can be in the hands of a small rogue regime,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “Now imagine the danger of hundreds of nuclear weapons in the reins of a vast Iranian empire, with the missiles to deliver them anywhere on Earth.” “In the last few months, we’ve all seen how dangerous even a few nuclear weapons can be in the hands of a small rogue regime,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “Now imagine the danger of hundreds of nuclear weapons in the reins of a vast Iranian empire, with the missiles to deliver them anywhere on earth.”
Others called Mr. Trump’s speech over-the-top. “If Trump was determined to demonstrate to the world that he is unhinged and an imminent danger to world peace, he has succeeded with this speech, and will only make it harder for him to win over the world to his self-destructive goals,” said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, a Washington-based group that is critical of the Tehran government but advocates more engagement. Others called Mr. Trump’s speech excessively belligerent. “If Trump was determined to demonstrate to the world that he is unhinged and an imminent danger to world peace, he has succeeded with this speech, and will only make it harder for him to win over the world to his self-destructive goals,” said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, a Washington-based group that criticizes the Tehran government but advocates more engagement.
Neither Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, nor Mohammad Javad Zarif, its foreign minister, were in the hall for Mr. Trump’s speech. North Korea’s ambassador left his seat before the president started speaking. The rest of the audience gave Mr. Trump polite but unenthusiastic applause. Neither Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, nor Mohammad Javad Zarif, its foreign minister, was in the hall for Mr. Trump’s speech. North Korea’s ambassador left his seat before the president started speaking.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, who has a friendly relationship with Mr. Trump, took sharp exception to the most combative points in the American leader’s speech. In his General Assembly address, Mr. Macron called the Iran agreement “solid, robust and verifiable,” and said renouncing it would be a “grave error.” In an interview taped before the speech, Mr. Rouhani castigated Mr. Trump for considering a withdrawal from the nuclear accord. “The exiting of the United States from such an agreement would carry a high cost, meaning that subsequent to such an action by the United States of America, no one will trust America again,” he told NBC News.
While he shared Mr. Trump’s assertion that North Korea’s nuclear belligerence was dangerous and unacceptable, Mr. Macron said multilateral diplomatic pressure was the best solution. “France rejects escalation and will not close any door to dialogue,” he said. Mr. Zarif said on Twitter that “Trump’s ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times — not the 21st Century UN.”
Mr. Trump’s choice of words raised hackles among allies too, as Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign minister, made clear at a reception on Tuesday evening. “We never talk about destroying countries,” she said.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, who has a friendly relationship with Mr. Trump and whose country was one of the negotiating parties for the Iran deal, likewise took exception. In his General Assembly address, Mr. Macron called the agreement “solid, robust and verifiable,” and said renouncing it would be a “grave error.”
While he shared Mr. Trump’s view that North Korea’s nuclear belligerence was dangerous and unacceptable, Mr. Macron said multilateral diplomatic pressure was the best solution. “France rejects escalation and will not close any door to dialogue,” he said.
The French president also confronted a big issue Mr. Trump conspicuously omitted, climate change. “The planet will not negotiate with us,” Mr. Macron said, referring to the Paris climate accord that Mr. Trump has renounced.The French president also confronted a big issue Mr. Trump conspicuously omitted, climate change. “The planet will not negotiate with us,” Mr. Macron said, referring to the Paris climate accord that Mr. Trump has renounced.
He added that he hoped the United States might yet rejoin the accord. “I fully respect the decision of the United States, but the door will always be open,” he said. The United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, likewise implicitly rebuffed Mr. Trump on climate change. “We know enough today to act,” he said as he opened the General Assembly session. “The science is unassailable.”
The United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, likewise implicitly rebuffed Mr. Trump on climate change. “We know enough today to act,” he said as he opened the annual United Nations General Assembly session. “The science is unassailable.” But Republican lawmakers and conservative leaders cheered the president’s strong stance against international outliers like Iran and North Korea.
Mr. Guterres criticized what he called “closed doors and open hostility” in the face of vast refugee crises and called on countries to treat those crossing borders with “simple decency and human compassion.” “It was the best speech of the Trump presidency in my view,” John R. Bolton, a former ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News. “It’s safe to say in the entire history of the United Nations there has never been a more straightforward criticism of the behavior, the unacceptable behavior of other member states.”
Mr. Trump arrived at the United Nations with a more overtly nationalist approach than past American presidents, predicated on a belief that the United States has been taken advantage of in areas like trade, security and other international affairs. In addition to abandoning the Paris accord, he has renounced the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact with 11 other nations and threatened to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if it is not renegotiated to his liking. Mr. Trump arrived at the United Nations with a more overtly nationalist approach than past American presidents, predicated on a belief that the United States has been taken advantage of in areas like trade, security and other international affairs. In addition to abandoning the Paris accord, he has renounced the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and threatened to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if it is not renegotiated to his liking.
In his speech, he used the word “sovereign” or “sovereignty” 21 times. “As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always and should always put your countries first,” he said, generating a smattering of applause. In his speech, he used the word “sovereign” or “sovereignty” 21 times. “The United States will forever be a great friend to the world, and especially to its allies,” he said. “But we can no longer be taken advantage of, or enter into a one-sided deal where the United States gets nothing in return.”
“The United States will forever be a great friend to the world, and especially to its allies,” he went on. “But we can no longer be taken advantage of or enter into a one-sided deal where the United States gets nothing in return. As long as I hold this office, I will defend America’s interest above all else. But in fulfilling our obligations to our own nations, we also realize that it’s in everyone’s interest to seek a future where all nations can be sovereign, prosperous and secure.”
Mr. Trump mentioned only in passing one of the most prominent examples of a violation of sovereignty in recent years, the still-unresolved Russian intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. But he went on to denounce the actions of Venezuela’s government against its own people without explaining how that fit into his concept of respecting sovereignty.Mr. Trump mentioned only in passing one of the most prominent examples of a violation of sovereignty in recent years, the still-unresolved Russian intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. But he went on to denounce the actions of Venezuela’s government against its own people without explaining how that fit into his concept of respecting sovereignty.
“The Socialist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro has inflicted terrible pain and suffering on the good people of that country,” Mr. Trump said. “This corrupt regime destroyed a prosperous nation by imposing a failed ideology that has produced poverty and misery everywhere it has been tried.”“The Socialist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro has inflicted terrible pain and suffering on the good people of that country,” Mr. Trump said. “This corrupt regime destroyed a prosperous nation by imposing a failed ideology that has produced poverty and misery everywhere it has been tried.”
The focus on sovereignty drew mixed reviews. “The speech was more positive than what was anticipated,” said President Sauli Niinistö of Finland. “There were a few tough comments, especially on North Korea. He stressed the sovereignty of nations. In my view, he meant that every country and leader should take responsibility for their people’s well-being.” Still, he avoided some of the harsh language he has used in the past about the United Nations itself. “For years, I’ve been a critic,” he said in a toast at a luncheon given by Mr. Guterres, “but I’ve also been somebody that said the United Nations has tremendous potential.”
Aaron David Miller, a former American peace negotiator now at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said Mr. Trump “awkwardly tried to reconcile” his nationalist approach with the international orientation of the United Nations. “President Trump’s speech was a confusing hodgepodge of tropes, themes and threats that made one unmistakable point: there is no coherent Trump Doctrine,” he said. The president met separately with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, a Persian Gulf state Mr. Trump has accused of being a “funder of terrorism.” He eschewed such characterizations on Tuesday, instead calling the emir a longtime friend and renewing his offer to mediate a standoff between Qatar and other Arab countries.
After the speech, the president attended a lunch hosted by Mr. Guterres for more than 200 leaders and diplomats. In a toast, Mr. Trump played down his years of deriding the United Nations and offered a positive view of its future. “For years, I’ve been a critic,” he said, “but I’ve also been somebody that said the United Nations has tremendous potential.”
The president also met separately with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, a Persian Gulf state Mr. Trump has accused of being a “funder of terrorism.”
Mr. Trump has tried to mediate a standoff between Qatar and other Arab countries. Qatar has sought to convince Mr. Trump that he is wrong about its links to radicalism, airing television ads during the United Nations session with an intended audience of one featuring captions like, “Qatar Stands With United States Against Terrorism.”
The message may have gotten through since Mr. Trump made no mention of any concerns with Qatar’s support for radicalism in front of news cameras and indeed called the emir a longtime friend. When a reporter asked if he still considered Qatar funder of terrorism, the president did not answer.
“We are right now in a situation where we’re trying to solve a problem in the Middle East and I think we’ll get it solved,” Mr. Trump said. “I have a very strong feeling that it will be solved pretty quickly.”“We are right now in a situation where we’re trying to solve a problem in the Middle East and I think we’ll get it solved,” Mr. Trump said. “I have a very strong feeling that it will be solved pretty quickly.”
The emir welcomed his help. “As you said, Mr. President, we have a problem with our neighbors and your interference will help a lot and I’m sure we can find a solution for this problem,” he said.The emir welcomed his help. “As you said, Mr. President, we have a problem with our neighbors and your interference will help a lot and I’m sure we can find a solution for this problem,” he said.
“We will get it solved,” Mr. Trump said.