Before the institution that represents multilateralism, Donald Trump has carried out on Tuesday, in his speech at the UN General Assembly, a fiery defense of isolationism. "The future does not belong to the globalists, but to the patriots," the 45th president of the United States has left for history. Enfranked on various international fronts, with no signs of progress on any, the Trump that has been seen in New York is a very different leader from the one who, in his first speech at this forum, two years ago, threatened the "little rocket man" Kim Jong-un with the "total destruction" of North Korea. This Tuesday, the president has been less belligerent in his tensions with Iran, and also with Venezuela, ensuring that the United States does not want "permanent enemies" and expressing its rejection of the use of force. "We are the most powerful power in the world, but I hope I never have to use that power," he said. "The United States knows that anyone can make war, but only the bravest can choose peace."
"I have the immense privilege of addressing you today as the elected leader of a nation that values freedom, independence and self-government above all else," Trump said, at the start of a 37-minute speech. “If you want freedom, feel pride in your country. If you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty. If you want peace, love your nation. The free world must embrace its national foundations, ”he continued.
From that defense of isolationism, the president has reviewed his numerous international fronts. He has distributed criticism, but has avoided any threat of resorting to the use of force. How could it be otherwise, the president has been very critical of the Iran regime, which he has accused of being "the world's first sponsor of terrorism." He has insisted on the duty to stop Tehran's path to nuclear weapons, and has defended his departure from the 2015 agreement, as well as the effectiveness of his economic sanctions. But he has suggested that this is not a conflict that corresponds exclusively to him and has argued that "all nations have the duty to act."
Significantly, he has tiptoed over the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities on September 14, which the United States accuses Tehran and that its own secretary of state described as an "act of war," and instead referred to a long list of historical grievances, underlining that the United States pursues the alliance and not the conflict. "Some of our best friends were now our worst enemies," he said.
On the eve of the speeches, the leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom aligned themselves with President Trump by accusing Tehran of attacks on Saudi oil facilities. In a joint statement on Monday, they supported not only Washington's stance on the attacks in Saudi Arabia, which Tehran denies, but also called for a broader nuclear agreement, in a twist on the European stance of tolerance with Iran, after try to save for a year the 2015 agreement that the United States decided to break. "The time has come for Iran to accept a long-term negotiating framework for its nuclear program, as well as security issues in the region, including its missile program," says the statement signed by President Macron, Chancellor Merkel and the Premier Johnson
The president has dedicated a part of his speech to the situation in Venezuela, and has called Nicolás Maduro "a Cuban puppet that hides from his people while Cuba takes advantage of Venezuela's oil wealth to protect his regime." "Venezuelans trapped in this nightmare" the US president has assured them that "the whole United States" is with them. But he has talked about waiting. "We are following the situation in Venezuela very closely. We look forward to the day when democracy is restored and Venezuela is free, "he said, after stating that his country has prepared" huge amounts "of humanitarian aid for Venezuela.
The situation in Venezuela, Trump has defended, is a reminder that "socialism and communism do not try to get people out of poverty," but instead seek "only power for the ruling class." "The United States will never be a socialist country," the president insisted, in a veiled message to the most left wing of the Democratic Party of his country, now involved in the process of choosing the person who will face Trump in the presidential elections. Next year.
Trump has also been very critical of those who, in his opinion, take advantage of mass migration. "Activists who promote an open border policy," he said, "have interests above innocent people and undermine human rights." "Their policies are cruel," he added. The president has defended that all countries have
"The absolute right to protect their borders". "Including the United States", has settled.
China has been another predictable target of President Trump's darts, which has accused Beijing of mocking the system and stealing intellectual property. "To confront these bad practices we have put tremendous tariffs," he recalled. Trump has not shown any sign of a possible remission of hostilities in the trade war, even when negotiators in both countries are preparing for a new round of talks next month. The president has also warned Beijing that it is necessary to respect human rights in Hong Kong, a scenario for months of massive protests against Chinese control.
On the first day of the General Assembly, President Trump has been surrounded by leaders who, to a greater or lesser extent, have emulated his style. Just before the American president, in a tradition that is repeated every year since 1955, the Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro opened the session, whose controversial ways have earned him the nickname of mini-Trump. And after the American, it was the turn of the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al Sisi, a former general who symbolizes the repression of the Arab springs, and the no less authoritarian Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
While the president was on his way to the world, his last domestic scandal continued to grow: accusations that, last July, he asked the Ukrainian president Volodímir Zelenski to investigate the former vice president and favorite Democratic candidate Joe Biden and his son, and that he froze financial assistance to the country just before the phone call. Voices are growing among Democrats asking to initiate an impeachment of the president, a process of parliamentary dismissal "for serious crimes", which many resist, because they believe that he would never prosper in the Senate, a Republican majority. Upon entering the UN, Trump spoke again of "witch hunts." "I am leading the polls [for the 2020 elections] and have no idea how to stop," he said. "" The only way they have is impeachment. "
At the end of the day, in which 21 leaders are scheduled to speak, the speech of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister who also opens in the General Assembly, is expected with a real fire at home. In the morning, the British Supreme Court declared illegal, null and void, unanimously of its 11 magistrates, the decision of Boris Johnson to suspend the Parliament, causing a new political earthquake just one month from the date of October 31, in which the automatic exit would take place, with or without agreement, of the United Kingdom of the European Union. The judges consider that the decision of the prime minister to close the session in Westminster for five weeks frustrated the intention of the deputies to stop a wild Brexit.