September 26, 2018

A year after his stormy debut at the U.N., Trump will claim foreign policy successes from his brash diplomacy

Featuring Rachel Rizzo

Source: The Los Angeles Times

Journalists Tracy Wilkinson, Eli Stokols, Laura King

President Trump had a stormy debut at the annual United Nations gathering of world leaders last September.

From the podium of the packed U.N. General Assembly, he blasted North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man,” threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea and warned of global peril from “loser terrorists” and the “wicked few.”

When Trump returns to the U.N. this week, he will claim that his brash diplomacy has led to a series of foreign policy successes, aides say, including an emerging detente with North Korea, expanding protection for U.S. trade and other interests, and putting Islamic State on the run.

During his four-day visit to New York, the president will address the General Assembly, chair the Security Council for the first time and speak at a conference on narcotics. Amid a flurry of diplomatic receptions, he also will hold private meetings with the leaders of seven countries, including Japan, France and Britain.

Trump’s disruptive approach to foreign policy includes a disdain for international institutions, including the U.N. He repeated his doubts before his arrival Sunday night by saying the world body had “not lived up to” its potential.

“It’s always been surprising to me that more things aren't resolved,” Trump said in a weekend video message, “because you have all of these countries getting together in one location but it doesn’t seem to get there. I think it will.”

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo signaled Sunday that Trump would claim credit for lowering the nuclear threat from North Korea — even though Pyongyang has yet to make any substantive moves toward eliminating its nuclear arsenal or ballistic missiles, or even providing an inventory of them.

Read the full article and more from The Los Angeles Times

Authors

  • Rachel Rizzo

    1Lt Andrew J. Bacevich, Jr., USA Fellow, Transatlantic Security Program

    Rachel Rizzo is the 1Lt Andrew J. Bacevich, Jr., USA Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), working in the Transatlantic Security Program. Her research focus...