To the other world leaders and diplomats, Trump delivered an unpopular message against globalism, while also calling for cooperation. He delivered tough talk to America’s enemies, while also talking about peace.
He took on major U.N. issues at the annual gathering, such as those involving the U.N. Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court.
Borrowing from his campaign slogan of “Make America Great Again,” he called on other leaders to do the same for their citizens.
Here are the top takeaways from Trump’s U.N. speech:
1. ‘More Than Almost Any Administration’
Trump engaged in what sounded almost like campaign talk about his administration’s place in history, and got an unexpected reaction.
“Today I stand before the United Nations General Assembly to share the extraordinary progress we’ve made. In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,” he said.
The assertion prompted laughter from the world leaders and diplomats in his audience. “I didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s OK,” the president said.
Undaunted, Trump sought to explain the progress made under his administration.
“The United States is stronger, safer, and a richer country than it was when I assumed office,” he said. “America’s economy is booming like never before.”
2. ‘Iran’s Leaders Sow Chaos, Death, and Destruction’
Trump spoke of the Syrian civil war, in which the U.S. twice launched airstrikes on the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people.
“The United States will respond if chemical weapons are deployed by the Assad regime,” he said.
He noted, however, that the problems in Syria can’t be fully addressed without also addressing Assad’s chief financier, Iran.
“Every solution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria must also include a strategy to address the brutal regime that has fueled and financed it: the corrupt dictatorship in Iran,” Trump said. “Iran’s leaders sow chaos, death, and destruction. They do not respect their neighbors or borders, or the sovereign rights of nations. Instead, Iran’s leaders plunder the nation’s resources to enrich themselves and to spread mayhem across the Middle East and far beyond.”
In May, Trump pulled the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the multilateral Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration in 2015.
Other parties to the agreement were Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia.
“The Iranian people are rightly outraged that their leaders have embezzled billions of dollars from Iran’s treasury, seized valuable portions of the economy, and looted the people’s religious endowments, all to line their own pockets and send their proxies to wage war,” Trump said.
Although it’s unpopular with some allies, Trump noted that many countries in the Middle East support his decision to withdraw from the agreement.
“The Iran deal was a windfall for Iran’s leaders. In the years since the deal was reached, Iran’s military budget grew nearly 40 percent,” Trump said. “The dictatorship used the funds to build nuclear-capable missiles, increase internal repression, finance terrorism, and fund havoc and slaughter in Syria and Yemen.”
The U.S. has aggressively moved on sanctions on Iran, and he asked allies to join.
“We ask all nations to isolate Iran’s regime as long as its aggression continues, and we ask all nations to support Iran’s people as they struggle to reclaim their religious and righteous destiny,” Trump said.
3. ‘Make Their Countries Great Again’
Trump made the case for American sovereignty—and the sovereignty of other countries—while still calling for cooperation.
“We are standing up for America and for...
