America thirst
Trump pours it on as he hits ‘weak’ old policies
PRESIDENT TRUMP declared a new national security strategy on Monday, pledging to replace decades of “failed” U.S. foreign policies with a forceful “America First” agenda — and created a new viral video moment to boot.
The new strategy, announced during an address in Washington, D.C., envisions a turbulent world in which nations are in constant competition. The strategy pledges to rescind Obama-era warnings on climate change, declares that the U.S. will confront the “revisionist” Russian and Chinese governments and slams the perceived “weakness” of previous administrations.
“Our leaders engaged in nation building abroad while they failed to build up and replenish our nation at home,” Trump told a crowd of mostly uniformed officials at the Ronald Reagan Building. “On Nov. 8, you voted to make America great again. You embraced new leadership and new strategies and also a glorious new hope.”
But while Trump’s strategy goes to great lengths in promising to push back against Russian economic and military developments, it says little about cyberwarfare techniques employed by the Kremlin during its interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
Instead, it tackles that question more broadly, accusing Moscow of engaging in “offensive cyberefforts.”
“Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies,” the document states.
The document also accuses Russia of perpetuating “influence campaigns” but offers no proposals on how to counteract them.
The strategy document comes as special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russia’s precise role in the election creeps closer to Trump’s inner circle. So far, Mueller’s probe has produced four indictments, including a guilty plea from Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Breaking with Pentagon assessments, Trump’s strategy document also fails to address climate change as an imminent threat to national security. It instead proposes a pro-fossil-fuel agenda that is sure to be hailed by industry giants.
“Our nation must take advantage of our wealth in domestic resources and energy efficiency to promote competitiveness across our industries,” Trump said.
The document also claims that the U.S. will “remain a global leader in reducing traditional pollution, as well as greenhouse gases” but offers little in the way of how that could be achieved.
Earlier this year, Trump drew international ire after pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord.
On a global plane, Trump’s document casts the Chinese government as an adversary seeking to “erode American security and prosperity.” Accusing China of enabling Kim Jong Un’s ironfisted rule in North Korea, Trump downplayed the importance of diplomacy, instead favoring an approach he dubs “peace through strength.”The tough talk, however, was quickly eclipsed on social media by a focus on Trump’s evident drinking problem.
He paused at one point to take a sip from a glass of water — which he cradled with both hands.
It was reminiscent of his awkward two-handed sip from a water bottle during another address last month.
The video was soon everywhere on Twitter. “That’s exactly how my 2-year-old nephew drinks from a glass,” user @mcnultyruss tweeted.