Donald Trump's Speech at the United Nations, September 18, 2017: (Almost) a Model of Careful Diplomacy

Donald Trump at UN Reforming UN Meeting

President Donald Trump spoke at the United Nations on September 18 at the Reforming the United Nations: Management, Security, and Development Meeting. In this speech, Mr. Trump outlined a program for improving the United Nations' operations. For the most part, this speech laid out standard points that American conservatives have advocated for some time. For the most part, he explained those points out in a sober, responsible fashion.

To put this in context, right-wing discourse has often considered the United Nations to be part of some kind of global conspiracy theory. This is very unlikely, since the United Nations has trouble agreeing on anything, much less a complex, multi-year conspiracy. Still, given Trump's strong conservative support base, there was no chance that he would give unequivocal endorsement to the United Nations.

I said that the speech was sober and responsible "for the most part." Mr. Trump began his speech by bragging about the economic value of nearby Trump Tower: "I actually saw great potential right across the street, to be honest with you, and it was only for the reason that the United Nations was here that that turned out to be such a successful project." His critics complained, and rightly so, that this was an inappropriate commercialization of public affairs.

Once he finished his unseemly real estate sales pitch, however, Mr. Trump complimented the Secretary-General for his reform vision. Mr. Trump reaffirmed United Nations' goals, which he said "include affirming the dignity and worth of the human person and striving for international peace." Mr. Trump complained about the United Nations' unwieldy bureaucracy and poor management. He encouraged United Nations to focus on results-oriented management. That sounds perfectly in line with Mr. Trump's business background. Mr. Trump also complained that some nations take on "a disproportionate share of the burden" of supporting the United Nations. By that, he meant the United States, which provides the United Nations with enormous financial support.

Mr. Trump's speech was vague and general, maybe even generic. He laid out no specific policy or recommendation. It was serious and (for the most part) responsible. He said very little that could offend anyone. Pretty much any American president, certainly any Republican president, could have given the same speech, and it would have been fine. President Trump obviously wanted to establish himself as a responsible member of the world community, and a speech like this would help to do so. Indeed, that may have been his main purpose.

But, then, we heard the bellicose speech that he gave on September 19, just one day later, which was something else entirely. I'll say more about that later today, after the transcript is released.