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| Donald Trump threatens to 'totally destroy' North Korea in UN speech | Donald Trump threatens to 'totally destroy' North Korea in UN speech |
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| Donald Trump has threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea in a bellicose first address to the UN general assembly, in which he lashed out at a litany of US adversaries, calling on “righteous” nations to confront them. | Donald Trump has threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea in a bellicose first address to the UN general assembly, in which he lashed out at a litany of US adversaries, calling on “righteous” nations to confront them. |
| The speech was greeted in the UN chamber mostly with silence and occasional outbreaks of disapproving murmurs, as Trump castigated a succession of hostile regimes. | The speech was greeted in the UN chamber mostly with silence and occasional outbreaks of disapproving murmurs, as Trump castigated a succession of hostile regimes. |
| In an address heavy with echoes of George W Bush’s “Axis of Evil” State of the Union address more than 15 years earlier, Trump said: “The scourge of our planet today are a small group of rogue regimes.” | In an address heavy with echoes of George W Bush’s “Axis of Evil” State of the Union address more than 15 years earlier, Trump said: “The scourge of our planet today are a small group of rogue regimes.” |
| “If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph,” the president said. | “If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph,” the president said. |
| He first singled out North Korea, recounting its history of kidnapping, oppression, and missile and nuclear tests. | He first singled out North Korea, recounting its history of kidnapping, oppression, and missile and nuclear tests. |
| “The US has great strength and patience,” Trump said but he added: “If it is forced to defend ourselves or our allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” | “The US has great strength and patience,” Trump said but he added: “If it is forced to defend ourselves or our allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” |
| As alarmed murmurs spread around the hall, Trump had another barb. Using his newly adopted epithet for Kim Jong-un, Trump said: “Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.” | As alarmed murmurs spread around the hall, Trump had another barb. Using his newly adopted epithet for Kim Jong-un, Trump said: “Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.” |
| He said that the US was “ready, willing and able” to take military action, but said hopefully that would be unnecessary, if the rest of the world stepped up its efforts to constrain the Pyongyang regime. | He said that the US was “ready, willing and able” to take military action, but said hopefully that would be unnecessary, if the rest of the world stepped up its efforts to constrain the Pyongyang regime. |
| “That is what the United Nations is for,” the president said. “Let’s see how they do.” | “That is what the United Nations is for,” the president said. “Let’s see how they do.” |
| Trump moved on to Iran, claiming that the Islamic Republic had robbed a great people of its destiny, adding that what the Tehran government feared second only to US military might was its own people. | Trump moved on to Iran, claiming that the Islamic Republic had robbed a great people of its destiny, adding that what the Tehran government feared second only to US military might was its own people. |
| He said that the Iran nuclear deal, signed by the US under the Obama administration and five other countries two years ago, was “an embarrassment to the United States”. | He said that the Iran nuclear deal, signed by the US under the Obama administration and five other countries two years ago, was “an embarrassment to the United States”. |
| “I don’t think you’ve have heard the last of it,” he added, in an apparent reference to his decision on 15 October on whether to certify Iranian compliance or not. His withdrawal of presidential endorsement could lead to Congress reimposing nuclear-related sanctions and the collapse of the agreement. | “I don’t think you’ve have heard the last of it,” he added, in an apparent reference to his decision on 15 October on whether to certify Iranian compliance or not. His withdrawal of presidential endorsement could lead to Congress reimposing nuclear-related sanctions and the collapse of the agreement. |
| Like much of the 41-minute speech, Trump’s reference to the Iran deal was met by stony silence in the general assembly chamber. The deal is overwhelmingly supported by UN member states, including most of Washington’s closest allies, with the exception of Israel. | Like much of the 41-minute speech, Trump’s reference to the Iran deal was met by stony silence in the general assembly chamber. The deal is overwhelmingly supported by UN member states, including most of Washington’s closest allies, with the exception of Israel. |
| The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was one of the few to applaud when the US president said the world could not abide by the Iran agreement “if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear programme”. | |
| Netanyahu swiftly issued a statement praising Trump. “In over 30 years in my experience with the UN, I never heard a bolder or more courageous speech,” Netanyahu said. “President Trump spoke the truth about the great dangers facing our world and issued a powerful call to confront them in order to ensure the future of humanity.” | Netanyahu swiftly issued a statement praising Trump. “In over 30 years in my experience with the UN, I never heard a bolder or more courageous speech,” Netanyahu said. “President Trump spoke the truth about the great dangers facing our world and issued a powerful call to confront them in order to ensure the future of humanity.” |
| Trump is also almost entirely isolated on climate change. Unlike the other opening speakers, including the UN secretary general, António Guterres, Trump made no mention in his speech of an issue that most other leaders in the chamber consider to be the greatest threat to the world. | Trump is also almost entirely isolated on climate change. Unlike the other opening speakers, including the UN secretary general, António Guterres, Trump made no mention in his speech of an issue that most other leaders in the chamber consider to be the greatest threat to the world. |
| There were more gasps and whispering when Trump warned that some parts of the world in conflict were “going to hell”. | There were more gasps and whispering when Trump warned that some parts of the world in conflict were “going to hell”. |
| But the US president had clearly not come to the UN to placate foreign leaders but rather to speak over their heads to his own supporters. | But the US president had clearly not come to the UN to placate foreign leaders but rather to speak over their heads to his own supporters. |
| He picked out one adversary after another, pointing out that he had taken steps to reverse Barack Obama’s policy of detente with Cuba. But he reserved much more of his speech to a rigorous denunciation of the government of Nicolás Maduro, which he said was strangling Venezuela through “faithfully implemented” socialism. | He picked out one adversary after another, pointing out that he had taken steps to reverse Barack Obama’s policy of detente with Cuba. But he reserved much more of his speech to a rigorous denunciation of the government of Nicolás Maduro, which he said was strangling Venezuela through “faithfully implemented” socialism. |
| The US has already imposed severe sanctions on the Maduro government and Trump said Washington was ready to take “further action” until full democracy is restored. | The US has already imposed severe sanctions on the Maduro government and Trump said Washington was ready to take “further action” until full democracy is restored. |
| Attacks on other governments took up much of the second half of Trump’s speech. The first half was devoted to outlining his view of international relations, which he said repeatedly said should be based on “strong sovereign nations” with different cultures and values. | Attacks on other governments took up much of the second half of Trump’s speech. The first half was devoted to outlining his view of international relations, which he said repeatedly said should be based on “strong sovereign nations” with different cultures and values. |
| Trump’s argument against humanitarian intervention and “nation-building” is an approach favoured by Russia, China and much of the Non-Aligned Movement. | Trump’s argument against humanitarian intervention and “nation-building” is an approach favoured by Russia, China and much of the Non-Aligned Movement. |
| “As president of the United States, I will put America first, just as you as leaders of your countries will always put your countries first.” | “As president of the United States, I will put America first, just as you as leaders of your countries will always put your countries first.” |
| It was one of the few lines that drew significant applause. Trump did not explain how these concepts squared with the second part of his address calling for action against “rogue regimes” for their lack of democracy. | It was one of the few lines that drew significant applause. Trump did not explain how these concepts squared with the second part of his address calling for action against “rogue regimes” for their lack of democracy. |