Excerpts from Trump’s Speech to the UN, Sept 19, 2017
Full text here
"We do not expect diverse countries to share the same cultures, traditions, or even systems of government. But we do expect all nations to uphold these two core sovereign duties: to respect the interests of their own people and the rights of every other sovereign nation. This is the beautiful vision of this institution, and this is foundation for cooperation and success.
"Strong, sovereign nations let diverse countries with different values, different cultures, and different dreams not just coexist, but work side by side on the basis of mutual respect.
"Strong, sovereign nations let their people take ownership of the future and control their own destiny. And strong, sovereign nations allow individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God.
All
responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the
nation-state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition.
"But
making a better life for our people also requires us to work together in close
harmony and unity to create a more safe and peaceful future for all people.
"For the
cost of resettling one refugee in the United States, we can assist more than 10
in their home region. Out of the goodness of our hearts, we offer financial
assistance to hosting countries in the region, and we support recent agreements
of the G20 nations that will seek to host refugees as close to their home
countries as possible. This is the safe, responsible, and humanitarian
approach.
"If the
righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When
decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of
destruction only gather power and strength.
"We cannot
let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building
dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover
for the eventual construction of a nuclear program. (Applause.) The Iran Deal
was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever
entered into. Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and
I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it -- believe me.
"We also
thank -- (applause) -- we also thank the Secretary General for recognizing that
the United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in
confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity. Too often the
focus of this organization has not been on results, but on bureaucracy and
process.
"In some
cases, states that seek to subvert this institution's noble aims have hijacked
the very systems that are supposed to advance them. For example, it is a
massive source of embarrassment to the United Nations that some governments
with egregious human rights records sit on the U.N. Human Rights Council.
"The
problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but
that socialism has been faithfully implemented. (Applause.) From the Soviet
Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been
adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure.
"Those who preach
the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued
suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems.
"If we are
to embrace the opportunities of the future and overcome the present dangers
together, there can be no substitute for strong, sovereign, and independent
nations -- nations that are rooted in their histories and invested in their
destinies; nations that seek allies to befriend, not enemies to conquer; and
most important of all, nations that are home to patriots, to men and women who
are willing to sacrifice for their countries, their fellow citizens, and for
all that is best in the human spirit.
"Today, if
we do not invest ourselves, our hearts, and our minds in our nations, if we
will not build strong families, safe communities, and healthy societies for
ourselves, no one can do it for us.
We cannot
wait for someone else, for faraway countries or far-off bureaucrats -- we can't
do it. We must solve our problems, to build our prosperity, to secure our
futures, or we will be vulnerable to decay, domination, and defeat.
"So let
this be our mission, and let this be our message to the world: We will fight
together, sacrifice together, and stand together for peace, for freedom, for
justice, for family, for humanity, and for the almighty God who made us all
.
President
Donald Trump's statement to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19,
2017, as prepared for delivery.
Mr.
Secretary General, Mr. President, world leaders, and distinguished delegates:
Welcome to New York. It is a profound honor to stand here in my home city, as a
representative of the American people, to address the people of the world.
As
millions of our citizens continue to suffer the effects of the devastating
hurricanes that have struck our country, I want to begin by expressing my
appreciation to every leader in this room who has offered assistance and aid.
The American people are strong and resilient, and they will emerge from these
hardships more determined than ever before.
Fortunately,
the United States has done very well since Election Day last November 8th. The
stock market is at an all-time high -- a record. Unemployment is at its lowest
level in 16 years, and because of our regulatory and other reforms, we have
more people working in the United States today than ever before. Companies are
moving back, creating job growth the likes of which our country has not seen in
a very long time. And it has just been announced that we will be spending
almost $700 billion on our military and defense.
Our
military will soon be the strongest it has ever been. For more than 70 years,
in times of war and peace, the leaders of nations, movements, and religions
have stood before this assembly. Like them, I intend to address some of the
very serious threats before us today but also the enormous potential waiting to
be unleashed.
We live
in a time of extraordinary opportunity. Breakthroughs in science, technology,
and medicine are curing illnesses and solving problems that prior generations
thought impossible to solve.
But each
day also brings news of growing dangers that threaten everything we cherish and
value. Terrorists and extremists have gathered strength and spread to every
region of the planet. Rogue regimes represented in this body not only support
terrorists but threaten other nations and their own people with the most
destructive weapons known to humanity.
Authority
and authoritarian powers seek to collapse the values, the systems, and
alliances that prevented conflict and tilted the world toward freedom since
World War II.
International
criminal networks traffic drugs, weapons, people; force dislocation and mass
migration; threaten our borders; and new forms of aggression exploit technology
to menace our citizens.
To put it
simply, we meet at a time of both of immense promise and great peril. It is
entirely up to us whether we lift the world to new heights, or let it fall into
a valley of disrepair.
We have
it in our power, should we so choose, to lift millions from poverty, to help
our citizens realize their dreams, and to ensure that new generations of
children are raised free from violence, hatred, and fear.
This
institution was founded in the aftermath of two world wars to help shape this
better future. It was based on the vision that diverse nations could cooperate
to protect their sovereignty, preserve their security, and promote their
prosperity.
It was in
the same period, exactly 70 years ago, that the United States developed the
Marshall Plan to help restore Europe. Those three beautiful pillars -- they’re
pillars of peace, sovereignty, security, and prosperity.
The
Marshall Plan was built on the noble idea that the whole world is safer when
nations are strong, independent, and free. As President Truman said in his
message to Congress at that time, “Our support of European recovery is in full
accord with our support of the United Nations. The success of the United
Nations depends upon the independent strength of its members.”
To
overcome the perils of the present and to achieve the promise of the future, we
must begin with the wisdom of the past. Our success depends on a coalition of
strong and independent nations that embrace their sovereignty to promote
security, prosperity, and peace for themselves and for the world.
We do not
expect diverse countries to share the same cultures, traditions, or even
systems of government. But we do expect all nations to uphold these two core
sovereign duties: to respect the interests of their own people and the rights
of every other sovereign nation. This is the beautiful vision of this
institution, and this is foundation for cooperation and success.
Strong,
sovereign nations let diverse countries with different values, different
cultures, and different dreams not just coexist, but work side by side on the
basis of mutual respect.
Strong,
sovereign nations let their people take ownership of the future and control
their own destiny. And strong, sovereign nations allow individuals to flourish
in the fullness of the life intended by God.
In
America, we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let
it shine as an example for everyone to watch. This week gives our country a special
reason to take pride in that example. We are celebrating the 230th anniversary
of our beloved Constitution -- the oldest constitution still in use in the
world today.
This
timeless document has been the foundation of peace, prosperity, and freedom for
the Americans and for countless millions around the globe whose own countries
have found inspiration in its respect for human nature, human dignity, and the
rule of law.
The
greatest in the United States Constitution is its first three beautiful words.
They are: “We the people.”
Generations
of Americans have sacrificed to maintain the promise of those words, the
promise of our country, and of our great history. In America, the people
govern, the people rule, and the people are sovereign. I was elected not to
take power, but to give power to the American people, where it belongs.
In
foreign affairs, we are renewing this founding principle of sovereignty. Our
government's first duty is to its people, to our citizens -- to serve their
needs, to ensure their safety, to preserve their rights, and to defend their
values.
As
President of the United States, I will always put America first, just like you,
as the leaders of your countries will always, and should always, put your
countries first. (Applause.)
All responsible
leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation-state
remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition.
But
making a better life for our people also requires us to work together in close
harmony and unity to create a more safe and peaceful future for all people.
The
United States will forever be a great friend to the world, and especially to
its allies. But we can no longer be taken advantage of, or enter into a
one-sided deal where the United States gets nothing in return. As long as I
hold this office, I will defend America’s interests above all else.
But in
fulfilling our obligations to our own nations, we also realize that it’s in
everyone’s interest to seek a future where all nations can be sovereign,
prosperous, and secure.
America
does more than speak for the values expressed in the United Nations Charter.
Our citizens have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom and the freedom
of many nations represented in this great hall. America's devotion is measured
on the battlefields where our young men and women have fought and sacrificed
alongside of our allies, from the beaches of Europe to the deserts of the
Middle East to the jungles of Asia.
It is an
eternal credit to the American character that even after we and our allies
emerged victorious from the bloodiest war in history, we did not seek
territorial expansion, or attempt to oppose and impose our way of life on
others. Instead, we helped build institutions such as this one to defend the
sovereignty, security, and prosperity for all.
For the
diverse nations of the world, this is our hope. We want harmony and friendship,
not conflict and strife. We are guided by outcomes, not ideology. We have a
policy of principled realism, rooted in shared goals, interests, and values.
That
realism forces us to confront a question facing every leader and nation in this
room. It is a question we cannot escape or avoid. We will slide down the path
of complacency, numb to the challenges, threats, and even wars that we face. Or
do we have enough strength and pride to confront those dangers today, so that
our citizens can enjoy peace and prosperity tomorrow?
If we
desire to lift up our citizens, if we aspire to the approval of history, then
we must fulfill our sovereign duties to the people we faithfully represent. We
must protect our nations, their interests, and their futures. We must reject
threats to sovereignty, from the Ukraine to the South China Sea. We must uphold
respect for law, respect for borders, and respect for culture, and the peaceful
engagement these allow. And just as the founders of this body intended, we must
work together and confront together those who threaten us with chaos, turmoil,
and terror.
The
scourge of our planet today is a small group of rogue regimes that violate
every principle on which the United Nations is based. They respect neither
their own citizens nor the sovereign rights of their countries.
If the
righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When
decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of
destruction only gather power and strength.
No one
has shown more contempt for other nations and for the wellbeing of their own
people than the depraved regime in North Korea. It is responsible for the
starvation deaths of millions of North Koreans, and for the imprisonment,
torture, killing, and oppression of countless more.
We were
all witness to the regime's deadly abuse when an innocent American college
student, Otto Warmbier, was returned to America only to die a few days later.
We saw it in the assassination of the dictator's brother using banned nerve
agents in an international airport. We know it kidnapped a sweet 13-year-old Japanese
girl from a beach in her own country to enslave her as a language tutor for
North Korea's spies.
If this
is not twisted enough, now North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons
and ballistic missiles threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of
human life.
It is an
outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would
arm, supply, and financially support a country that imperils the world with
nuclear conflict. No nation on earth has an interest in seeing this band of
criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles.
The
United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend
itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North
Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The
United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be
necessary. That’s what the United Nations is all about; that’s what the United
Nations is for. Let’s see how they do.
It is
time for North Korea to realize that the denuclearization is its only
acceptable future. The United Nations Security Council recently held two
unanimous 15-0 votes adopting hard-hitting resolutions against North Korea, and
I want to thank China and Russia for joining the vote to impose sanctions,
along with all of the other members of the Security Council. Thank you to all
involved.
But we
must do much more. It is time for all nations to work together to isolate the
Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior.
We face
this decision not only in North Korea. It is far past time for the nations of
the world to confront another reckless regime -- one that speaks openly of mass
murder, vowing death to America, destruction to Israel, and ruin for many
leaders and nations in this room.
The
Iranian government masks a corrupt dictatorship behind the false guise of a
democracy. It has turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into
an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence,
bloodshed, and chaos. The longest-suffering victims of Iran's leaders are, in
fact, its own people.
Rather
than use its resources to improve Iranian lives, its oil profits go to fund
Hezbollah and other terrorists that kill innocent Muslims and attack their
peaceful Arab and Israeli neighbors. This wealth, which rightly belongs to
Iran's people, also goes to shore up Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship, fuel
Yemen's civil war, and undermine peace throughout the entire Middle East.
We cannot
let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building
dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover
for the eventual construction of a nuclear program. (Applause.) The Iran Deal
was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever
entered into. Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and
I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it -- believe me.
It is
time for the entire world to join us in demanding that Iran's government end
its pursuit of death and destruction. It is time for the regime to free all
Americans and citizens of other nations that they have unjustly detained. And
above all, Iran's government must stop supporting terrorists, begin serving its
own people, and respect the sovereign rights of its neighbors.
The
entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other
than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what
their leaders fear the most. This is what causes the regime to restrict
Internet access, tear down satellite dishes, shoot unarmed student protestors,
and imprison political reformers.
Oppressive
regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people
will face a choice. Will they continue down the path of poverty, bloodshed, and
terror? Or will the Iranian people return to the nation's proud roots as a
center of civilization, culture, and wealth where their people can be happy and
prosperous once again?
The
Iranian regime's support for terror is in stark contrast to the recent
commitments of many of its neighbors to fight terrorism and halt its financing.
In Saudi
Arabia early last year, I was greatly honored to address the leaders of more
than 50 Arab and Muslim nations. We agreed that all responsible nations must
work together to confront terrorists and the Islamist extremism that inspires
them.
We will
stop radical Islamic terrorism because we cannot allow it to tear up our
nation, and indeed to tear up the entire world.
We must
deny the terrorists safe haven, transit, funding, and any form of support for
their vile and sinister ideology. We must drive them out of our nations. It is
time to expose and hold responsible those countries who support and finance
terror groups like al Qaeda, Hezbollah, the Taliban and others that slaughter
innocent people.
The
United States and our allies are working together throughout the Middle East to
crush the loser terrorists and stop the reemergence of safe havens they use to
launch attacks on all of our people.
Last
month, I announced a new strategy for victory in the fight against this evil in
Afghanistan. From now on, our security interests will dictate the length and
scope of military operations, not arbitrary benchmarks and timetables set up by
politicians.
I have
also totally changed the rules of engagement in our fight against the Taliban
and other terrorist groups. In Syria and Iraq, we have made big gains toward
lasting defeat of ISIS. In fact, our country has achieved more against ISIS in
the last eight months than it has in many, many years combined.
We seek
the de-escalation of the Syrian conflict, and a political solution that honors
the will of the Syrian people. The actions of the criminal regime of Bashar
al-Assad, including the use of chemical weapons against his own citizens --
even innocent children -- shock the conscience of every decent person. No
society can be safe if banned chemical weapons are allowed to spread. That is
why the United States carried out a missile strike on the airbase that launched
the attack.
We
appreciate the efforts of United Nations agencies that are providing vital humanitarian
assistance in areas liberated from ISIS, and we especially thank Jordan, Turkey
and Lebanon for their role in hosting refugees from the Syrian conflict.
The
United States is a compassionate nation and has spent billions and billions of
dollars in helping to support this effort. We seek an approach to refugee
resettlement that is designed to help these horribly treated people, and which
enables their eventual return to their home countries, to be part of the
rebuilding process.
For the
cost of resettling one refugee in the United States, we can assist more than 10
in their home region. Out of the goodness of our hearts, we offer financial
assistance to hosting countries in the region, and we support recent agreements
of the G20 nations that will seek to host refugees as close to their home
countries as possible. This is the safe, responsible, and humanitarian
approach.
For
decades, the United States has dealt with migration challenges here in the
Western Hemisphere. We have learned that, over the long term, uncontrolled
migration is deeply unfair to both the sending and the receiving countries.
For the
sending countries, it reduces domestic pressure to pursue needed political and
economic reform, and drains them of the human capital necessary to motivate and
implement those reforms.
For the
receiving countries, the substantial costs of uncontrolled migration are borne
overwhelmingly by low-income citizens whose concerns are often ignored by both
media and government.
I want to
salute the work of the United Nations in seeking to address the problems that
cause people to flee from their homes. The United Nations and African Union led
peacekeeping missions to have invaluable contributions in stabilizing conflicts
in Africa. The United States continues to lead the world in humanitarian
assistance, including famine prevention and relief in South Sudan, Somalia, and
northern Nigeria and Yemen.
We have
invested in better health and opportunity all over the world through programs
like PEPFAR, which funds AIDS relief; the President's Malaria Initiative; the
Global Health Security Agenda; the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery; and the
Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, part of our commitment to empowering
women all across the globe.
We also
thank -- (applause) -- we also thank the Secretary General for recognizing that
the United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in
confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity. Too often the
focus of this organization has not been on results, but on bureaucracy and
process.
In some
cases, states that seek to subvert this institution's noble aims have hijacked
the very systems that are supposed to advance them. For example, it is a
massive source of embarrassment to the United Nations that some governments
with egregious human rights records sit on the U.N. Human Rights Council.
The
United States is one out of 193 countries in the United Nations, and yet we pay
22 percent of the entire budget and more. In fact, we pay far more than anybody
realizes. The United States bears an unfair cost burden, but, to be fair, if it
could actually accomplish all of its stated goals, especially the goal of
peace, this investment would easily be well worth it.
Major
portions of the world are in conflict and some, in fact, are going to hell. But
the powerful people in this room, under the guidance and auspices of the United
Nations, can solve many of these vicious and complex problems.
The
American people hope that one day soon the United Nations can be a much more
accountable and effective advocate for human dignity and freedom around the
world. In the meantime, we believe that no nation should have to bear a
disproportionate share of the burden, militarily or financially. Nations of the
world must take a greater role in promoting secure and prosperous societies in
their own regions.
That is
why in the Western Hemisphere, the United States has stood against the corrupt
and destabilizing regime in Cuba and embraced the enduring dream of the Cuban
people to live in freedom. My administration recently announced that we will
not lift sanctions on the Cuban government until it makes fundamental reforms.
We have
also imposed tough, calibrated sanctions on the socialist Maduro regime in
Venezuela, which has brought a once thriving nation to the brink of total
collapse.
The
socialist dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has inflicted terrible pain and
suffering on the good people of that country. This corrupt regime destroyed a
prosperous nation by imposing a failed ideology that has produced poverty and
misery everywhere it has been tried. To make matters worse, Maduro has defied
his own people, stealing power from their elected representatives to preserve
his disastrous rule.
The
Venezuelan people are starving and their country is collapsing. Their
democratic institutions are being destroyed. This situation is completely
unacceptable and we cannot stand by and watch.
As a
responsible neighbor and friend, we and all others have a goal. That goal is to
help them regain their freedom, recover their country, and restore their
democracy. I would like to thank leaders in this room for condemning the regime
and providing vital support to the Venezuelan people.
The
United States has taken important steps to hold the regime accountable. We are
prepared to take further action if the government of Venezuela persists on its
path to impose authoritarian rule on the Venezuelan people.
We are
fortunate to have incredibly strong and healthy trade relationships with many
of the Latin American countries gathered here today. Our economic bond forms a
critical foundation for advancing peace and prosperity for all of our people
and all of our neighbors.
I ask
every country represented here today to be prepared to do more to address this
very real crisis. We call for the full restoration of democracy and political
freedoms in Venezuela. (Applause.)
The
problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but
that socialism has been faithfully implemented. (Applause.) From the Soviet
Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been
adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure. Those who preach
the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued
suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems.
America
stands with every person living under a brutal regime. Our respect for
sovereignty is also a call for action. All people deserve a government that
cares for their safety, their interests, and their wellbeing, including their
prosperity.
In
America, we seek stronger ties of business and trade with all nations of good
will, but this trade must be fair and it must be reciprocal.
For too
long, the American people were told that mammoth multinational trade deals,
unaccountable international tribunals, and powerful global bureaucracies were
the best way to promote their success. But as those promises flowed, millions
of jobs vanished and thousands of factories disappeared. Others gamed the
system and broke the rules. And our great middle class, once the bedrock of
American prosperity, was forgotten and left behind, but they are forgotten no
more and they will never be forgotten again.
While
America will pursue cooperation and commerce with other nations, we are
renewing our commitment to the first duty of every government: the duty of our
citizens. This bond is the source of America's strength and that of every
responsible nation represented here today.
If this
organization is to have any hope of successfully confronting the challenges before
us, it will depend, as President Truman said some 70 years ago, on the
"independent strength of its members." If we are to embrace the
opportunities of the future and overcome the present dangers together, there
can be no substitute for strong, sovereign, and independent nations -- nations
that are rooted in their histories and invested in their destinies; nations
that seek allies to befriend, not enemies to conquer; and most important of
all, nations that are home to patriots, to men and women who are willing to
sacrifice for their countries, their fellow citizens, and for all that is best
in the human spirit.
In
remembering the great victory that led to this body's founding, we must never
forget that those heroes who fought against evil also fought for the nations
that they loved.
Patriotism
led the Poles to die to save Poland, the French to fight for a free France, and
the Brits to stand strong for Britain.
Today, if
we do not invest ourselves, our hearts, and our minds in our nations, if we
will not build strong families, safe communities, and healthy societies for
ourselves, no one can do it for us.
We cannot
wait for someone else, for faraway countries or far-off bureaucrats -- we can't
do it. We must solve our problems, to build our prosperity, to secure our
futures, or we will be vulnerable to decay, domination, and defeat.
The true
question for the United Nations today, for people all over the world who hope
for better lives for themselves and their children, is a basic one: Are we
still patriots? Do we love our nations enough to protect their sovereignty and
to take ownership of their futures? Do we revere them enough to defend their
interests, preserve their cultures, and ensure a peaceful world for their
citizens?
One of
the greatest American patriots, John Adams, wrote that the American Revolution
was "effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds
and hearts of the people."
That was
the moment when America awoke, when we looked around and understood that we
were a nation. We realized who we were, what we valued, and what we would give
our lives to defend. From its very first moments, the American story is the
story of what is possible when people take ownership of their future.
The
United States of America has been among the greatest forces for good in the
history of the world, and the greatest defenders of sovereignty, security, and
prosperity for all.
Now we
are calling for a great reawakening of nations, for the revival of their
spirits, their pride, their people, and their patriotism.
History
is asking us whether we are up to the task. Our answer will be a renewal of
will, a rediscovery of resolve, and a rebirth of devotion. We need to defeat
the enemies of humanity and unlock the potential of life itself.
Our hope
is a word and world of proud, independent nations that embrace their duties,
seek friendship, respect others, and make common cause in the greatest shared
interest of all: a future of dignity and peace for the people of this wonderful
Earth.
This is
the true vision of the United Nations, the ancient wish of every people, and
the deepest yearning that lives inside every sacred soul.
So let
this be our mission, and let this be our message to the world: We will fight
together, sacrifice together, and stand together for peace, for freedom, for
justice, for family, for humanity, and for the almighty God who made us all.
Thank
you. God b
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