Trump UN speech - President laughed at by world leaders as he boasts of achievements amid condemnation of Iran
First appearance before intergovernmental organisation after Washington cut refugee aid funding
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has asserted American sovereignty - rejecting “global governance, control and domination” - in an address to the UN General Assembly.
Mr Trump said the United States will never tell other nations how to live, work or worship. But the president added the United States expects other nations to “honour America's sovereignty in return.”
The president arrived late, forcing a last-minute scheduling switch, then received polite applause but also blank stares as he took his blustery brand of “America First” policies to the annual General Assembly.
Speaking in triumphal terms, Mr Trump approached the address as an annual report to the world on his country's progress since his inauguration. He crowed that in “less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.”
Rather than applaud or indicate they were impressed, the audience began to chuckle and some broke into outright laughter. Mr Trump appeared briefly flustered before joking that it was not the reaction he expected but “that's all right.”
The moment only reinforced Mr Trump's isolation among allies and foes alike, as his nationalistic policies have created rifts with erstwhile partners and cast doubt in some circles about the reliability of American commitments around the world.
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French President Emmanuel Macron is now speaking about areas where he sees protectionism and isolationism creating problems.
“We should all stand ready to go beyond our historical positions, to think out of the box, with the real goal of this leading to positive change on the ground,” he says.
Mr Macron adds that “the law of the strongest” will only exacerbate conflict and violence.
“Friends, I deeply believe in the sovereignty of people,” Mr Macron, following on from Mr Trump's speech earlier..
“In the 21st century, we should only triumph through bolstered multilateralism,” he says.
“My point is: I don’t believe in generalized or empty globalization. I don’t think this can be a reality. But I believe in universal values. That’s what should guide us. Those are two different things.”
President Trump, claiming the UN Human Rights Council had become "a grave embarrassment to this institution," said the US would not return to it without real reform and would provide neither support nor recognition to the International Criminal Court for similar reasons.
He added, "We will never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy."
Human Rights watch has labelled the comments "music to the ears of tyrants and war criminals."
"His opposition to justice for victims of mass slaughter is yet another retreat by this administration on human rights. But this attack on international justice will backfire, just as it did under the Bush administration," Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch’s international justice programme, said.
France's Emmanuel Macron was not subtle with his digs at Mr Trump, even if he did not mention the US president by name.
He said that his country would no longer make trade deals with nations outside of the Paris climate change accords.
On top of that very short list is America.
Amid the speeches, here is our explainer on how the UN General Assembly meeting works.
And here is the latest pool report from those travelling with Trump, on the lunch he is attending with other world leaders:
The lunch kicked off at 1:27pm, with the UN Secretary General offering the intro remarks. Trump sat with his arms crossed and occasionally nodded. Secretary General offered a toast and Trump took a sip of what appeared to be a glass of red wine after the toast.
Trump began his remarks at 1:31pm. “I’ve long said the United Nations has great potential...”
He said his tone on North Korea has shifted since this time last year...and a lot of the conflict including trade conflict should disappear by this time next year.
His toast ended at 1:33pm
Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa is seated at Trump’s table as is Croatia president
As might be expected UK politician Nigel Farage has backed President Trump's message to the UN
Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, says his remarks come “as the world is suffering from recklessness and disregard of some states for international values and institutions”
Rouhani doesn’t use Donald Trump’s name, but seems to be taking a direct hit at the US president and the administration, saying its policies resemble “a Nazi disposition”
He said the “illusion” must end that security and peace are possible by denying those things to others.
Iran's president says US sanctions against his country amount to "economic terrorism" that won't sway Iran.
Mr Rouhani told world leaders at the General Assembly on Tuesday that the sanctions amount to an "economic war" that's disrupting trade and will harm people beyond Iran.
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