Trump uses UN speech to attack Iran
I’ve accomplished more than any US administration in history, says president as he endorses America First
Donald Trump, the US president, yesterday launched a scathing attack on Iran, accusing its leaders of sowing “chaos, death and destruction” in a hard-hitting speech to the United Nations. Mr Trump used his address to urge countries to turn their backs on multilateral organisations and prioritise their own countries’ needs. “We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism,” he told delegates.
DONALD TRUMP, the US president, yesterday launched a scathing attack on Iran, accusing its leaders of sowing “chaos, death and destruction” in a speech to the United Nations.
Making his second appearance at the annual gathering of world leaders, he urged countries to turn their backs on multilateral organisations and prioritise their own countries’ needs. “We reject the ideology of globalism and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism,” he told delegates in defence of his “America First” foreign policy.
Earlier, he sparked a moment of levity when his claim to have “accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country” was met with laughter.
“Didn’t expect that reaction but that’s
‘We defend these nations for nothing and they take advantage of us with high oil prices. Not good’
OK,” he said. Swiftly returning to his theme, he said he would “never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy”.
The president insisted the US would not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), and reiterated his refusal to accept the new Global Compact on Migration. He defended his decision to reduce the number of refugees admitted to the US to the lowest level in history, and criticised the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
“Opec and Opec nations are as usual ripping off the rest of the world, and I don’t like it,” he said. “Nobody should like it. We defend many of these nations for nothing and then they take advantage of us by giving us high oil prices. Not good.”
Foreign aid was also presented through a transactional prism – “We are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and, frankly, are our friends,” he announced.
The New York-born billionaire celebrated his decision to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and – in contrast to last year – praised Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.
Gone was last year’s “rocket man” – now he was “Chairman Kim”, with whom he had “highly productive” talks.
“The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction. Nuclear testing has stopped. Military facilities are being dismantled,” he said.
Venezuela was also singled out. “All nations of the world should resist socialism and the misery that it brings to everyone,” he told the hall.
But it was to Iran he devoted most of his speech, attacking what he called its “corrupt dictatorship” accusing it of enriching itself through embezzlement.
Hours before he spoke, the UK, France, and Germany defied the White House by announcing they were setting up a financial mechanism to help European firms continue to do business with Iran. Analysts, however, were sceptical the EU’S Special Purpose Vehicle would do much to reassure European companies, which are worried about being hit with US sanctions.
Today Mr Trump chairs a security council meeting focusing mainly on Iran – a position likely to see him confronted by Theresa May, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister and, in particular, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who in his speech thumped the podium as he railed against Mr Trump’s unilateralism.
Mr Trump, clearly pleased with his performance, retweeted a comment by Mark Levin, a Right-wing radio host, that “DONALD TRUMP’S UN SPEECH IS SPECTACULAR.”
“Thank you, Mark!” the president responded.
Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, later accused Mr Trump of trying to topple his government. “It is ironic the US government does not even conceal its plan for overthrowing the same government it invites to talks,” Mr Rouhani said in his speech to the UN.