At the UN, Trump Ends the Era of Leading From Behind

Speaking at the United Nations on Tuesday, President Donald Trump delivered one of the most powerful speeches of his presidency thus far.

The speech was an emphatic rejection of President Barack Obama’s “leading from behind” mantra, giving an assertive defense of American leadership on the world stage. The president also delivered strong condemnations of an array of dictatorial regimes, including North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.

The speech could not have been more different in style and substance than Obama’s weak-kneed and deferential approach in past speeches to the U.N. Obama’s tenure as leader of the free world was marked by weakness, confusion, indecision, and at times outright appeasement of U.S. adversaries.

It was refreshing to hear a U.S. president who was not ashamed to proclaim the interests of his own country.

The U.N. General Assembly is traditionally a lion’s den for Republican U.S. presidents, but Trump showed no desire to temper his message before leaders from 193 countries, many of whom harbor a deep-seated antipathy for the United States.

Global leadership is not a popularity contest, and Trump showed little interest in winning applause from a General Assembly that had regularly regaled his predecessor with standing ovations.

This was a speech that was tough, uncompromising, and crystal clear in its messaging. The enemies of the United States will be left with no doubt that the United States will aggressively confront...Read More HERE