Fearmongering, fury — and laughter — at U.N. assembly

President Donald Trump took to the dais Tuesday morning at the United Nations General Assembly and declared that his administration “has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.”

That declaration was met by laughter from world leaders and foreign dignitaries in attendance.

Yet, Trump's second-ever address to the international body served to reaffirm to a domestic political audience, just as much as to the world, Trump's continued commitment to the policies and convictions that he has unleashed on the world in the year since he last addressed the UN. He defended his hardline position on Iran and his trade war with China, touted his diplomatic engagement with North Korea and reaffirmed his rejection of globalism. He also trained his fire on Iran and encouraged other nations to economically squeeze the country.

Days after Trump denounced globalism, China and Russia positioned themselves Friday as defenders of it.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi denied his country was trying to eclipse the U.S. as a world leader, but his speech at the U.N. General Assembly was a stark contrast to Trump's "America First" message. It came amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China, which Trump accused of interfering in the upcoming midterm elections. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov used his speech to lash out at U.S. policies in Iran, Syria and elsewhere and vigorously defended multilateral organizations such as the U.N.