Every year, leaders and diplomats from almost every sovereign nation come to New York City to attend the United Nations General Assembly. This form of diplomacy is critical for maintaining post-World War II international order. With threats from anti-democratic regimes like Russia and Iran, and the rise in populist right-wing movements in Western society, it is important for world leaders to rearticulate the need for a rational, “liberal” global society.
President Donald Trump did not articulate that importance. However, besides his introductory remarks about the greatness of his “regime,” the speech was quite eloquently written. Just after the remarks which caused the infamous muddled laughter, he said this:
“I honor the right of every nation in this room to pursue its own customs, beliefs and traditions. The United States will not tell you how to live or work or worship. We only ask that you honor our sovereignty in return.”
If spoken by a woman or man with more credibility or — at the very least — a person who does not inspire such divisiveness, most Americans would most likely agree with these comments. But these words are representative of the America first ideology — they are simply coated in vocabulary like “emissary” and include terms like “cooperation” and “honor” to seem dignified.
What is said here is that the United States, which has acted as a hegemon — a world leader — since it assumed that role after the rubble of 1945, will no longer act in such a manner. It will not persuade countries to adopt stronger human rights standards, it will not join the international community in fighting anthropogenic climate change, but it will still permit the use of American-made weapons in the Yemeni Civil War.
President Trump did not mention the ideas that founded the United Nations, the very institution at which he spoke. He did not mention that there has not been a major interstate war since 1945. He has not led this country nor the world. Trump said the word “democracy” three times. In contrast, President Obama said it nine times during his last speech to the UNGA.
Trump pursues policies that have short-term benefits for himself and sometimes the United States.
Refraining from mentioning the Iran deal shows weakness of American governance. If future presidents do not at least tacitly support the executive agreements made by their predecessors, then the executive agreements become worthless. Iran has received more revenue since the signing of the Iran deal, and there is little doubt some of that revenue has been used in funding terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.
But the multilateral sanctions that had restrained the Iranian economy were not meant to curb those activities, only the nuclear capabilities of Iran. These sanctions would not have been effective if not for European, Chinese and Russian cooperation with the United States.
Trump’s antitrade practices fit in line with his sovereignty philosophy but fail to meet any practical standards. You can blame China all you want for unfair trade practices, but you don’t go after a perceived “adversary” unless you have allies at your side. Withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and placing unnecessary tariffs on your allies does not help you in a trade war against China.
And so, when Trump said that “… my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,” some diplomats laughed. They could’ve laughed because of the absurdity, the ridiculousness and the distance from the truth of this sentence. The only major legislative accomplishment in two years was the tax cuts, which were only the eighth-largest since 1918.
But these laughs were not in isolation. These laughs reflected the nervousness of the international community at the ease at which President Trump lies. Or perhaps people laughed just because it was funny. Funny that Trump thinks he has accomplished the most. It’s a sad sort of hilarity.
