September 19, 2017, Trump put the world on notice. In a daring, 42 minute speech to the UN, Donald Trump delivered a powerful reset in international relations that journalists will be discussing for many news cycles.
Some will probably call this an incoherent diatribe. Some have already labeled it divisive and mean spirited.
It’s none of those things.
It is the first 21st century anti-globalist speech.
Just as President Obama called for countries to give up some of its sovereignty for peace (and never speak ill of Islam), Trump came and said that real security dwells in the passionate preservation of the security of each nation state individually.
Trump began by venturing into another election update, a blustering economic update that frankly, no one cared about, until he mentioned that we’re going to spend $700 BILLION to update our military.
That left most of the assembly in silence. Then the Iranian and North Korean delegates clutched their desks and stared blankly into the empty abyss before them as the leader of the free world tore up the old order.
7 Key Takeaways from Trump’s UN Address
At this time of great advancement, with “Breakthroughs in science, technology, and medicine are curing illnesses and solving problems that prior generations thought impossible to solve,” we must do the following:
1. Countries, Embrace Nationalism
That’s right: in the face of these globalists who have instituted propaganda, programs and policies for global rules, environmentalism (climate change) and other boondoggles, Trump preached the sovereignty of every country (and the United States comes first):
“In America, we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to watch.”
Trump reminded the world that the United States isn’t the world’s money kiosk, but a model for others, a city on a hill. And in case the world didn’t figure out where to look, he stated it:
“We are celebrating the 230th anniversary of our beloved Constitution — the oldest constitution still in use in the world today.… This timeless document has been the foundation of peace, prosperity and freedom for the Americans and for countless millions around the globe whose own countries have found inspiration in its respect for human nature, human dignity and the rule of law.”
But what does this nationalist message mean? What does it mean to these globalist and EU thinkers?
” Our government’s first duty is to its people, to our citizens — to serve their needs, to ensure their safety, to preserve their rights and to defend their values. . . All responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation-state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition.”
This was NOT another Obama speech (thank God).
2. Countries, Embrace pragmatism
This wasn’t a big point but it deserves some reflection:
“For the diverse nations of the world… We want harmony and friendship, not conflict and strife. We are guided by outcomes, not ideology.”
The problem here is that these stated outcomes of harmony and friendship require ideology. Ideology defines what the outcomes are! How we define those outcomes, how we establish strategies and tactics to achieve them.
Islam, which means “submission” also believes in harmony, provided everyone who doesn’t bend the knee to their ideology be executed, suppressed and/or forced to pay tributes.
Socialism requires governments to take over the means of production, making surfs of its citizens, and to steal and redistribute other people’s labor, for its definition of harmony and friendship.
And both of these ideologies employ violence to reach its ends.
Unfortunately, since Trump doesn’t have a true ideology, we need to be cautious. In his domestic policy, we cannot take his deal-making for granted.
Fortunately, on the international front, Trump had time to spell out what pragmatism means:
3. Countries, You have a new Global Sheriff
Trump has “totally changed the rules of engagement” with the USA’s regard for borders (cough: Mexico) and bad actors (Russia, N Korea, Iran):
“If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength.”
He directly put the UN on notice, saying its purpose to prevent the necessity for the USA to destroy North Korea and its “Rocket Man” on a suicide mission.
Plus, Iran must release its hostages, give up its violent aims and halt exporting terror:
“We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program”
Yes, this is another escalation of the North Korean cold war.
We all hope our generals are not actually planning to nuke North Korea, but “destroy” is a strong word. It got everyone’s attention.
Pray that Trump’s rhetoric was the wake-up call the UN needed to escalate negotiations — with China, with anybody able to reach Kim Jung Un: “Dude, take your meds.”
4. Radical Islam, We’re coming for you too
And that includes Syria:
“We will stop radical Islamic terrorism because we cannot allow it to tear up our nation and, indeed, to tear up the entire world… We seek the de-escalation of the Syrian conflict, and a political solution that honors the will of the Syrian people”
Trump did call Islamic radicals “losers” again. He might have done more but it’s already a long speech.
5. Refugees, Charity begins at home
Unlike Obama, Trump is unwilling to resettle refugees in the USA:
“For the cost of resettling one refugee in the United States, we can assist more than 10 in their home region. Out of the goodness of our hearts, we offer financial assistance to hosting countries in the region, and we support recent agreements of the G20 nations that will seek to host refugees as close to their home countries as possible. This is the safe, responsible, and humanitarian approach.”
Unlike previous speeches where Trump left the reasons unspoken, which led to charges of xenophobia, white supremacy and racism, he instead laid out (for the EU?) a more far-reaching reason to curb uncontrolled migration:
“[it] reduces domestic pressure to pursue needed political and economic reform, and drains them of the human capital necessary to motivate and implement those reforms”
Considering the rapes in Norway and Sweden, no-go zones and violence in Germany, France, and UK, the curbed speech rights in the Netherlands and UK, and the wholesale Islamification of Europe, someone had to say that letting in so many refugees was a bad idea. Trump said it.
6. UN, Reform thyself
“Too often the focus of this organization has not been on results, but on bureaucracy and process.”
UN needs to support peace, and stop bolstering corrupt regimes in Cuba and Venezuela. We must use the power of the UN to help restore democracy in Venezuela.
He omitted “stop bullying Israel,” which I think, after all the other statements might have fit right in. I hope he will deliver that line in the future.
7. Socialism, you suck
Finally, a world leader actually said out loud what every Cuba dissident knows and every Venezuelan is slowly realizing:
“The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented. [Applause.] From the Soviet Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure. Those who preach the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems.”
This isn’t merely an academic point, as we consider the UN’s unspoken charter to spread global socialism, and the EU’s struggles with deficits, conflict and Brexit.
“For too long, the American people were told that mammoth multinational trade deals, unaccountable international tribunals and powerful global bureaucracies were the best way to promote their success. But as those promises flowed, millions of jobs vanished and thousands of factories disappeared. Others gamed the system and broke the rules.”
In other words, UN, get off your pinko economic preening and embrace free trade.
UN, get off your ideological high horse and condemn the madmen in Iran and North Korea.
UN, get your house in order or I’ll come in and do it for you.
Whether Trump’s UN speech is his best we can leave to the pundits. What’s inarguable is that it is his boldest speech, and perhaps the UN’s strongest since Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe.