By Congressman Tom Cole
In his first appearance to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, President Trump delivered one of his most consequential and effective speeches since he assumed the presidency. The world had been exposed to the firm rhetoric that President Trump has used in the past, and it is partly the reason why he was elected President of the United States. He is not afraid to speak his mind and has always been dedicated to his message to put America first. At the UN, President Trump once again rededicated himself to that message and reaffirmed America’s leadership on the global stage.
For decades, the United States has grappled with the despotic regime of the Kim family in North Korea. And for decades, our leaders have been on a frustrating mission to figure out how to approach the depraved, unpredictable dictatorship of the Kim Dynasty, which has controlled the North Korean government since its founding in 1948. With threats from North Korea growing more aggressive and bellicose, resolute American leadership is needed now more than ever. In an unprecedented fashion, President Trump directly called out North Korea for its recent aggression toward the United States and our allies. At the United Nations General Assembly, filled with the representatives of most nations of the world, he sent a powerful and unambiguous message to the world – America is a patient nation, but if we or our allies are attacked by North Korea, it will be a suicidal mission that will result in the utter destruction of the Kim regime and of North Korea itself.
Along with calling out the dangerous actions of North Korea, President Trump was right to identify Iran and Venezuela for their actions at odds with basic human rights and international law. Iran, a nation known to harbor, support and fund terrorists, has attempted to undermine peace efforts in the Middle East for years. Its theocratic dictatorship has oppressed its own people and destroyed its economy. President Trump’s statement on the validity of the Iran deal is an important warning to Iran and its terrorist allies that we are committed to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – a weapon which it most certainly will use if it acquires one.
In Venezuela, the country and its citizens are collapsing under the socialist policies of Nicolas Maduro. President Trump gave an eloquent and honest assessment of how dire the situation is in Venezuela. Moreover, he asked that Venezuela and other rogue nations to respect its citizens and recognize that their actions disrupt the security, prosperity and peace of our world. And most importantly, President Trump called upon the world stage to uphold the values of national sovereignty and peace, and to do their part in reigning in other rogue nations and terrorists organizations.
The overarching message of promoting sovereignty within nations and putting America’s interests first could not be more clear. It resonated with our world’s leaders and with our leaders at home. It was a serious indication that the era of weak diplomacy is over. Historians will look back at this speech as a defining moment of the Trump presidency. It is also one that redefined America’s role as the leader of the free world.
