Trump Delivers Powerful Remarks at UNGA; Addresses Border Security, Iran, China Trade

By: Howard Riell & Fern Sidman

President Donald Trump came out swinging today as he addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday morning.

“Today, I have a message for those open border activists who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of social justice: Your policies are not just, your policies are cruel and evil,” he said, saying that they are promoting human smuggling and the “erasure of national borders.”

“You are empowering criminal organizations that prey on innocent men, women and children. You put your own false sense of virtue before the lives and well-being of countless innocent people,” Trump said. “When you undermine border security, you are undermining human rights and human dignity.”

The president spoke strongly about the need for border security here and globally. He sounded off on the topic of “globalists” as well – a bold move, considering the U.N. is virtually the epicenter of the globalist movement.

“Wise leaders always put the good of their own people and their country first. The future does not belong to globalists, the future belongs to patriots,” Trump said. “The future belongs to sovereign and independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbors and honor the differences that make each country special and unique.”

He continued, “If you want freedom, take pride in your country. If you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty. If you want peace, love your nation.”

Addressing Iran, Trump advised it to focus on its people rather than its nuclear program and sponsorship of terrorism. He blamed its leaders for “fueling the tragic wars in both Syria and Yemen,” and of “squandering their nation’s wealth in a fanatical quest for nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.” He added, “We must never allow this to happen.”

As for Iran’s attacks on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, he said “All nations have a duty to act, no responsible government should subsidize Iran’s bloodlust.”

“The regime’s record of death and destruction is well-known to us all,” the president said. “Not only is Iran the number one state sponsor of terrorism, but Iran’s leaders are fueling the tragic wars in both Syria and Yemen.

“At the same time, the regime is squandering the nation’s wealth and future in a fanatical quest for nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. we must never allow this to happen.”

A report on the INN web site said that Trump stated that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal “has very little time remaining” and had severe gaps in its inspection regime.

“Following our withdrawal from the nuclear deal, we have implemented severe economic sanctions on the country. Hoping to free itself from sanctions, the regime has escalated its violent and unprovoked aggression. In response to Iran’s recent attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, we just imposed the highest level of sanctions on Iran’s central bank and sovereign wealth fund.

“All nations have a duty to act. No responsible government should subsidize Iran’s bloodlust. As long as Iran’s menacing behavior continues, sanctions will not be lifted: they will be tightened,” he declared.

Trump singled out the formidable threat Iran represents to the existential survival of Israel by vowing that, “America will never tolerate such anti-Semitic hate.”

“For 40 years the world has listened to Iran’s rulers lash out at everyone else for the problems they alone have created,” the president said. “Stop threatening other countries and start focusing on your own,” Trump said, although he tempered his rhetoric by saying the U.S. was “ready for friendship.”

“The United States doesn’t believe in permanent enemies,” he claimed. “America knows that anyone can make war, but only the most courageous can choose peace.”

The White House resident also took advantage of the tribune to defend Israel, and his administration’s embattled peace initiative, which is facing difficulties in light of Israel’s post-electoral political deadlock.

“There is a growing recognition in the Middle East that the countries of the region share common interests. That is why it is so important to have full normalized relations between Israel and its neighbors.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a video calling on the international community to increase pressure on Iran until the Islamic Republic ends its aggression against its neighbors, according to the INN web site.

“Britain, France, and Germany have said that Iran is responsible for the recent attack on Saudi Arabia. Let me say on behalf of Israel, very simply: Iran did it, A to Z. Israel will know how to defend itself against this type of aggression,” Netanyahu said.

“We call on all members of the international community to join President Trump’s effort to increase the pressure on Iran. That is the only way to stop Iran’s aggression.”

Trump then pivoted his remarks toward China, and American leaders’ history of being soft in their dealings with the country. “Globalism exerted a religious pull over past leaders, causing them to ignore their own national interests, but as far as America is concerned, those days are over,” he said.

Of his July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump insisted that the release of the transcript would exonerate him. “When you see the call, when you see the readout of the call, which I assume you’ll see at some point, you’ll understand that call was perfect.”

He also weighed in on the threat to liberty here at home, calling the move to potentially impeach him a new “witch hunt… I’m leading in the polls and they have no idea how to stop me. The only way they can try is through impeachment.”