Trump Gives First Address To United Nations

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Trump Gives First Address To United Nations

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President Trump delivered his first address to the United Nations General Assembly this morning. During the campaign, he was critical of the intergovernmental organization, especially on peacekeeping efforts in Syria, support for an Iran Deal, and opposition to Israel. Addressing nearly 200 heads of state, Trump talked about how every country’s approach to sovereignty should mimic his “America First” and “principled realism” philosophy. He also talked about mitigating global threats, particularly from Iran and North Korea. “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” he said, regarding Kim Jong Un. Trump says he would consider “totally destroying North Korea” if their nuclear program posed a threat to the U.S. or its allies. Trump also repeated his threat to cut funding to the U.N., claiming the U.S. was paying more than other nations to keep the U.N.’s organizations afloat. To discuss Trump’s first big speech before the U.N., we’re joined by Uri Friedman, a global affairs staff writer for The Atlantic.