President Trump, in a fiery address Tuesday before the U.N. General Assembly, tore into open-border activists for pushing what he described as an “evil” agenda under the “cloak” of social justice, while warning Iran to abandon its confrontational course and delivering arguably his most robust defense yet of his nationalist philosophy.
“Today, I have a message for those open border activists who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of social justice: Your policies are not just, your policies are cruel and evil,” he said, accusing them of promoting human smuggling and the “erasure of national borders.”
“You are empowering criminal organizations that prey on innocent men, women and children. You put your own false sense of virtue before the lives and well-being of countless innocent people,” he said. “When you undermine border security, you are undermining human rights and human dignity.”
He delivered the broadside as part of a message promoting border security, in the U.S. and around the world. This dovetailed with a broader theme of railing against open borders and “globalists,” in the halls of the world body increasingly known for espousing that approach.
The president’s tone was steady and somber. But the message was that of a muscular nationalism that he has spent the better part of three years defining. As part of his speech, he later ripped into social media giants, media groups and academics — whom he accused of being part of a “permanent political class” that sought to undermine the will of the people.
“Wise leaders always put the good of their own people and their country first. The future does not belong to globalists, the future belongs to patriots,” he said earlier in the speech. “The future belongs to sovereign and independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbors and honor the differences that make each country special and unique.”
He advised member states, “If you want freedom, take pride in your country. If you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty. If you want peace, love your nation.”
Trump, who has centered his presidency around an “America First” agenda, used his 2017 and 2018 addresses to defend and promote the importance of national sovereignty — a message that clashes with the more globalist outlook of the world body. He said that he wants to avoid “endless wars” but also promised to defend America militarily, if needed.
He used that message to pivot to Iran, urging the Islamic regime to put its people first and to abandon its quest for nuclear weapons and support of terror in the region. He told delegates that the U.S. does not seek conflict with other nations but that “I will never fail to defend America’s interests.”
He accused Iran’s leaders of “fueling the tragic wars in both Syria and Yemen,” and of “squandering their nation’s wealth in a fanatical quest for nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.”
“We must never allow this to happen,” he said.
(AP)
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One Response
“Fiery Speech”????
Even Fox News commented about how the President delivered a lethargic, low-key speech which they added was typical when he read verbatim from a teleprompter. He lacked any animation that is the norm when he rants off the cuff. Putting aside whatever you think about the substance of his speech (aka an Ode to Right-Wing Global Nationalism), the speech was really a Stephen Miller special written for domestic consumption. He dumped on everyone equally without much passion or enthusiasm.
Actually, I found a few positive themes in the speech, especially his comments on Iran’s fomenting anti-Semitism, but otherwise, a big yawn (as noted by the TV cameras panning the audience).