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You're Hired: Tracking the Trump Administration Transition - September 20, 2017
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This is the September 20, 2017, edition of an email sent from November 2016 to September 2017 that covered Donald Trump's presidential transition, cabinet appointees, and the different policy positions of those individuals who may have had an effect on the new administration. Previous editions of "You're Hired" can be found here.
On Monday, President Donald Trump gave his first speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations, where he reinforced the foreign policy goals of his administration and issued warnings to North Korea and Iran. In the final edition of this briefing, we look at how this address aligns with the policy initiatives of his administration so far.
What is the United Nations?
Founded in 1945, the United Nations is an international organization that provides a forum for its 193 member states, including the United States, to address, among other issues, human rights, disarmament, terrorism, and climate change.
Every year in September, representatives from each member state meet in New York for the General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, where members vote on budgetary and policy issues and admission to the organization. While leaders from each nation are allotted 15 minutes each to speak before the assembly, many go over this time limit, including Trump, who spoke for 41 minutes.
What did Trump say during his speech?
During his speech, Trump discussed protecting and prioritizing American sovereignty; changing the Iran nuclear agreement; stopping North Korean nuclear development; and curtailing Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
America First
- “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. All responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation-state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition.”
The Trump administration has previously described its foreign policy approach as “focused on American interests and American national security.” According to the White House website, an America First foreign policy prioritizes combatting terrorism and increasing the size of the Navy and Air Force.
In its fiscal budget request for 2018, for example, the Trump administration sought $574.5 billion for the U.S. Department of Defense, a 10.1 percent increase from 2017. There was also an additional request of $64.6 billion for the overseas contingency operations, which would fund military operations the U.S. might become involved in.
North Korea
- “No one has shown more contempt for other nations and for the well-being of their own people than the depraved regime in North Korea. … 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. … 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.”
Trump and other administration officials have been critical of increased North Korean nuclear development and missile testing this year. After North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb on September 3, 2017, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said that the United States was prepared to use military action against the country if necessary. "Our commitment among the allies are ironclad. Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming," he said at a press conference.
Trump tweeted on the same day his skepticism of appeasement as a strategy to handle the threat of a nuclear North Korea. He wrote, "South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing." The White House was considering "many military options," according to Mattis, to handle North Korea.
In addition to frequent weapons testing, the status of the three Americans detained in North Korea has been a diplomatic concern. Questions about the condition of and efforts to release these prisoners increased following the death of Otto Warmbier, an American college student and former prisoner who died six days after being returned to the United States from North Korea.
Iran
- “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. 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.”
As a candidate, Trump said dismantling the nuclear deal with Iran was his number one priority. As president, he has been critical of the deal, but he has twice decided to certify that Iran is complying with the deal. Every 90 days, the Trump administration is required to notify Congress if Iran is in compliance. The administration is currently reviewing its policy toward Iran and must notify Congress by October 15, 2017, if Iran is in compliance with the deal.
Venezuela
- “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 Nicolás Maduro has inflicted terrible pain and suffering on the good people of that country. … 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. … 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 call for the full restoration of democracy and political freedoms in Venezuela. The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented.”
At the June 2017 meetings of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Trump administration sought to begin negotiations with other member countries to resolve the economic and political situation in Venezuela. At that time, the Venezuelan economy was in decline and the country's high court, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, had taken over legislative powers in the National Assembly. The Tribunal was supportive of President Nicolas Maduro, while the National Assembly had a large contingent of opposition legislators.
Francisco Palmeiri, a State Department official for Western Hemisphere affairs, said in an interview, "We really want to get a wider group of countries, including the Caribbean countries, to send a message to the Venezuelans that you have got to address this ongoing political, economic and humanitarian crisis. ... This isn't an effort to impose a solution or intervene in Venezuela but to use the mechanism of the OAS to help what is clearly a gridlocked situation."
Four rounds of economics sanctions have been issued against Venezuela and the Maduro regime this year, including the latest, which Trump effected by executive order on August 24.
How did other world leaders react to Trump’s remarks?
- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tweeted, “Ugly, ignorant words were spoken by the US president against the Iranian nation. Full or hatred & baseless allegations and unfit for #UNGA.”
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, “There’s also a marked change in the positions of some of our key friends. Thanks to President Trump’s unequivocal support for Israel in this body, that positive change is gathering force.”
- Ja Song Nam, the North Korean ambassador to the UN, left the room before Trump spoke.
- The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in released the following statement, in part: “We view the speech as portraying a firm and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with. It clearly showed how seriously the United States government views North Korea’s nuclear program as the president spent an unusual amount of time discussing the issue.”
- “This was a bombastic, nationalist speech. It must have been decades since one last heard a speech like that in the U.N. General Assembly. ... This was a speech at the wrong time to the wrong audience,” said Margot Wallstrom, the foreign minister of Sweden.
- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said, “No leader can come and question our democracy, can come and question our sovereignty. We do not accept threats from President Trump or whoever in this world.”
What is the president’s schedule for the rest of the week at the UNGA?
- On Wednesday, Trump will meet with the leaders of Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, the United Kingdom and Egypt, and host a working luncheon with African leaders to discuss U.S.-African security and economic relations.
- On Thursday, Trump will meet with the leaders of Turkey, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, South Korea, and Japan.
See also
- You're Hired: Tracking the Trump Administration Transition
- Donald Trump presidential transition team
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