While lavish praise for India, Donald Trump had a warning for China.
Highlights
- Donald Trump addressed the 73rd session of UN General Assembly
- He said India lifted millions out of poverty and into the middle class
- The US President said India is a "free society of over a billion people"
As he addressed world leaders at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday held up India as an example of a country that has successfully lifted millions of its citizens out of poverty. Calling India a part of a "beautiful constellation" of countries working for a common future, Donald Trump said "There is India, a free society (of) over a billion people, successfully lifting countless millions out of poverty and into middle class."
Following are 10 highlights from Donald Trump's speech at the UN General Assembly:
"Many countries are pursuing their own unique visions, building their own hopeful futures and chasing their own dreams of destiny, of legacy and of a home... The world is richer, humanity is better because of this beautiful constellation of nations," Donald Trump said in his second address to the UN General Assembly.
Historically, the US is the second speaker on the day of the opening of the UN General Assembly or UNGA. Brazil has traditionally spoken first. This time though, Donald Trump, it seems, was late. The last time a US President was late for the UNGA address was in 2016. Like in 2016, the President of the General Assembly proceeded onto the next speaker, Chad's leader.
When Donald Trump started by saying "in less than two years my administration has accomplished more than almost any other administration in the history of my country," laughter resonated in the UNGA. He replied "I didn't expect that".
While lavish praise for India, Donald Trump had a warning for China. "I have great respect and affection for my friend, President Xi (Jinping), but I have made clear our trade imbalance is just not acceptable. China's market distortions and the way they deal cannot be tolerated," he said.
His harsh words for China come after the US announced tariffs recently on another $200 billion in Chinese-made goods for a total, so far, of $250 billion.
Using the occasion of addressing the UNGA, perhaps, as an elections speech ahead of the midterm elections in the US in November, Donald Trump said, "We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism". His comments were in complete contrast to what Secretary General Antonio Guterres had said a few minutes ago focussing on the need for "multilateralism".
The last time Mr Trump addressed the UNGA, he warned the US would "totally destroy North Korea" if forced to defend itself or its allies. Donald Trump called North Korea's leader "Rocket Man" and said he "is on a suicide mission for himself". This time, the US President praised Kim Jong Un's courage.
Donald Trump's tirade this time was targeted on Iran - it was softer and careful to not isolate the US further on taking immediate action against the Asian nation. Calling the situation in Iran 'a corrupt dictatorship', which is responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Syria, he said "Iran's leaders sow chaos, death, and destruction" asking "all nations to isolate Iran's regime' by putting "economic pressure".
Donald Trump restated his warning that the UN Human Rights Council "had become a grave embarrassment" to the UN, "shielding egregious human rights abusers while bashing America and its many friends". Mr Trump stated Nikki Haley's "clearly laid out agenda for reform" wasn't followed which is why "We withdrew from the Human Rights Council, and we will not return until real reform is enacted".
Donald Trump's attack against the International Criminal Court, an organization the UN indirectly works with, although not unexpected, was clearly a statement of not backing down. The ICC is set to investigate Afghan War crimes by the US. No wonder Trump called the ICC an "unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy".
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