Trump tells world leaders their international locations are ‘going to hell’ in combative UN speech
By Gram Slattery and Steve Holland
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump argued for decrease ranges of worldwide migration and urged a flip away from local weather change insurance policies on Tuesday in a combative, wide-ranging speech to the U.N. Common Meeting that leveled scathing criticism of world leaders.
The 56-minute speech was a rebuke to the world physique and a return to kind for Trump, who routinely bashed the U.N. throughout his first time period as president. Leaders gave him well mannered applause when he exited the chamber.
He rejected strikes by allies to endorse a Palestinian state amid Israel’s newest Gaza offensive and urged European nations to undertake the identical set of financial measures he’s proposing towards Russia to pressure an finish to the struggle in Ukraine.
A lot of his speech was dominated by two of his largest grievances: immigration and local weather change.
Trump provided his U.S. immigration crackdown as a case research for what different world leaders ought to do to curb mass migration he says is altering the material of countries. Human rights advocates argue the migrants are in search of higher lives.
“I’m actually good at these things,” Trump mentioned. “Your international locations are going to hell.”
Trump, who met final week with Britain’s environmentally aware King Charles at Windsor Fort, known as local weather change a “con job” and urged a return to a better reliance on fossil fuels. Most scientists say local weather change attributable to people is actual.
“Immigration and their suicidal power concepts would be the dying of Western Europe,” Trump mentioned.
CRITICISM FOR ALLIES, POSSIBLE TARIFFS ON RUSSIA
European powers have spent months attempting to stabilize their relationship with the U.S. chief with a deal with successful U.S. assist to finish the struggle in Ukraine. At a NATO summit in June, Trump and European leaders lavished one another with reward.
However in Tuesday’s speech, Trump mocked NATO allies for not shutting down purchases of Russian oil and mentioned he would impose sturdy financial measures towards Moscow in the event that they do the identical.
“They’re funding the struggle towards themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one? Within the occasion that Russia shouldn’t be able to make a deal to finish the struggle, then america is totally ready to impose a really sturdy spherical of highly effective tariffs,” he mentioned.
“However for these tariffs to be efficient, European nations, all of you’re gathered right here proper now, must be part of us in adopting the very same measures.”
He didn’t element the measures, however he has been contemplating a bundle that features sanctions towards international locations that do enterprise with Russia, like India and China. The primary consumers of Russian oil in Europe are Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey.
Trump deliberate a gathering later within the day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has been urgent for extra U.S. assist to withstand Russian advances.
On the Israel-Palestinian battle, Trump gave a thumbs right down to efforts by world leaders to embrace a Palestinian state, a transfer that faces fierce resistance from Israel.
“The rewards can be too nice for Hamas terrorists, for his or her atrocities,” he mentioned, repeating his name for the return of hostages taken by the Palestinian militant group.
Trump mentioned america desires a ceasefire-for-hostages deal that will see the return of all remaining hostages, alive and useless.
“Now we have to cease the struggle in Gaza instantly. Now we have to instantly negotiate peace,” he mentioned.
He was to debate the way forward for Gaza throughout afternoon talks with a number of Gulf leaders.
Trump, who has solid himself as a peacemaker in a bid to win the Nobel Peace Prize, complained that the United Nations didn’t assist his efforts to finish conflicts all over the world.
He twinned his criticism with private complaints in regards to the U.N. infrastructure, saying he and first woman Melania Trump have been briefly marooned on a malfunctioning U.N. escalator and that his teleprompter was not initially working.
“These are the 2 issues I obtained from the United Nations – a nasty escalator and a nasty teleprompter,” Trump mentioned, noting that Melania Trump almost fell when the escalator stopped abruptly.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Further reporting by Michelle Nichols and John Irish; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Steve Holland; Enhancing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell)
