What to make of Trump's UN speech?
US President Donald Trump has lambasted the United Nations in a speech to its General Assembly, telling the organisation that it was "not even close to living up to" its potential. He said that he himself had ended seven wars without any support from the UN. He also criticised Europe's climate and migration policies, among other things. Commentators debate what it all means.
A reckoning with the world order
Trump's attack on the world order is at the heart of his geopolitical strategy, Libération believes:
“At the UN General Debate on 23 September, Trump berated the audience with his usual hate-filled accusations, shamelessly tearing down one by one all the concepts that have shaped the world order and have so far been regarded as progress for humanity: the right to asylum, the fight against climate change, multilateralism. ... When your name is Donald Trump, you can risk anything. ... In case anyone still had any doubts, he made it clear that his attacks on migration and climate policy won't stop at America's borders but are central to his geopolitical vision.”
Strengthen the UN instead of weakening it
The Salzburger Nachrichten sees the US President mired in contradictions:
“A Nobel Peace Prize without cooperation with other countries? That won't happen. Saving money by cutting development aid? That risks new conflicts that could end up costing the US dearly. Presenting an 'ultimate' plan for the Middle East but refusing to allow the Palestinian delegation to enter the country? That's not a step towards peace. If Trump really wanted a more peaceful world - rather than the prestige of a Nobel Prize - he should stop weakening the UN and focus on strengthening its role as a guardian of international law instead.”
Paradoxical attacks
The criticism is coming from the wrong side, argues top diplomat Pasquale Ferrara in Avvenire:
“The greatest risk for the United Nations is that of growing irrelevance. In neither of the two major conflicts (in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip) has the United Nations been able to play a truly significant role. On the other hand, to use a metaphor from the business world, no company can function with a board of directors that is divided and profoundly at odds over the business's goals. It is therefore paradoxical that it is precisely those who are undermining the foundations of international cooperation with unilateral initiatives such as tariffs who are accusing the UN of inefficiency - as Trump did in his speech to the United Nations yesterday.”
A shameful PR stunt
Trump's speech was totally unrealistic, writes De Morgen:
“An embarrassing PR stunt for his idiotic quest to win the Nobel Peace Prize. ... Trump's endless speech was completely detached from reality. It can be seen as the symbolic confirmation of a changing, fragmented world. A world from which the US is retreating behind a wall of resentment and trade tariffs. One thing is clear: for Europeans, who value Europe as a collection of social welfare and constitutional states, an alliance with this America, Trump's America, is unsustainable.”
Another big hint
Trump's speech can also be understood as criticism of Hungary and Slovakia, 24.hu points out:
“In his speech the US president criticised the European countries that are still buying Russian oil and gas. ... He refrained from mentioning our country and Slovakia by name, but these two European countries continue to buy oil and gas from Russia. Trump added that the purchase of Russian energy must stop immediately. ... Speaking in Brussels recently, the US Secretary of Energy [Chris Wright] also called on Hungary to stop buying fossil fuels from Russia.”