In his maiden speech as the President of the United States, Donald Trump stunned the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday with a diatribe against North Korea and its “rocket man on a suicide mission”. Many were startled that Trump chose a forum dedicated to diplomacy and discussion, to threaten and wipe another nation off the face of the earth.
The speech, which may have greatly pleased Trump’s base, offered a vision of America’s role in the world that was sharply in contrast to what previous presidents (both Republicans and Democrats) have envisioned at different points in the chequered history of the UN. Little wonder then that most foreign policy experts (both inside and outside the US) called the speech “terrifying” and “delusional”.
Trump spoke frequently about “sovereignty” in his remarks. Repeating the word as many as 21 times (while democracy received a passing reference), the US president seemingly brought his populist presidential campaign on to the global stage — a non sequitur that didn’t go down well even with the closest of US allies. Gauging from Trump’s rhetoric, there was a renewed sense that “America First” is going to mean America alone.
The focus on “strong, sovereign, independent nations” in the 40-minute-long speech appeared to belittle the scope and appreciation of the body of universal values that the UN is meant to uphold. In an interconnected world, nations share a collective responsibility towards pressing issues, such as the scourge of global terrorism, climate change and the like. It is foolhardy to think that nations acting in their own self-interest alone will keep the world stable and safe. Countries need to increasingly collaborate and come together, learning from each other’s synergies and experiences, in the process.
There were upsides to Trump’s speech though. The US president highlighted Iran’s growing belligerence in the Middle East, by calling Tehran’s bluff on its missile programme and extremist agenda. Similarly, his condemnation of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was also entirely in line with how much of the region — and beyond — thinks of the dictator.
Trump touched upon several hot-button talking points (some plausible, many not). However, the UN — despite its shortcomings — is a platform where countries converge to make peace, not threaten annihilation of each other. No matter how grave the provocation, both realpolitik and prudence require that Trump adopt a more level-headed tone. As leader of the free world, America is looked upon to dignify that position.
