In address to U.N., Trump elicits laughter before slamming Iran
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump, who stirred anxiety in his maiden address to the U.N. General Assembly last year, provoked a different reaction in his second address to the international body on Tuesday — laughter.
In his opening remarks, Trump told the international diplomats, “In less than two years, my administration has accomplished almost more than any administration in the history of this country.” The room erupted in laughter.
“Didn’t expect that reaction,” Trump said with a smile, “but it’s OK.”
The president then went on to outline his national security philosophy, which centers on his commitment to national sovereignty and putting American interests first. Trump explained that he believed such an approach across the globe could help other nations “make their countries great again.”
“The U.S. will not tell you how to live and work or worship,” Trump said. “We only ask that you honor our sovereignty in return.”
Speaking at the U.N. a year ago, Trump had warned of raining down “total destruction” on the rogue nation of North Korea and its leader, Kim Jung Un, whom he branded “Little Rocket Man.” On Tuesday, Trump praised Kim’s “courage.”
Later, at a U.N. working lunch, Trump admitted that “last year my tone was a little bit different with North Korea than it is now.”
Both Trump and Kim are considering a follow-up summit to their Singapore bilateral meeting in June. Trump gave credit to the U.N. “Many of you are now friends,” Trump said as he delivered a toast with a glass of Diet Coke.
In the run up to his speech, the White House had signaled that Trump would use the forum to put extreme pressure on Iran. Indeed, Trump told the assembly that many countries supported his decision to pull out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and asked other nations to support America’s re-imposition of sanctions.
“We cannot allow the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism to possess the planet’s most dangerous weapons,” Trump said.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump responded to speculation that he might meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who also is in town. Trump tweeted that he had no plans to meet with Rouhani although “maybe someday in the future. I am sure he is absolutely a lovely man.”
Nile Gardner of the right-leaning Heritage Foundation praised Trump for sending “a message of strength and resolve” on Iran, even as he noted that North Korea has failed to deliver significant concessions in the wake of the Singapore summit.
Trump also had words for Syrian President Bashar al Assad, saying he should “rest assured, the United States will respond if chemical weapons are deployed by the Assad regime.”
And Trump called out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist regime, which has “bankrupted the oil-rich nation and driven its people into abject poverty.”
Talking to reporters at a later session, the president would not rule out using military force against the “horrible” regime.
Even though Trump confessed to feeling more at home in this swirl of diplomats and attaches, his remarks repeatedly challenged international institutions like the International Criminal Court and globalism in general.
“We will never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable global bureaucracy,” Trump told the group.
The president also complained that the United States “is the world’s largest giver” of foreign aid. “But few give anything to us.”
He has directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to examine “what is working, what is not working, and whether the countries who receive our dollars and our protection also have our interests at heart.”
The president, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, arrived at U.N. Plaza late Monday morning. Wednesday the first lady will host a reception at the U.S. Mission. Trump is to chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the topic of countering nuclear proliferation.
Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or at 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.