By Douglas V. Gibbs

Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host
I didn’t get a chance to watch President Donald Trump’s speech to the United Nations general assembly in New York today.  He gave the speech on Tuesday, and it turns out that, as always, he knocked it out of the ballpark.

FrontPageMag called it “powerful.”  I would like to add “skillful,” “firm,” and “undeniable” to that.  President Trump is, after all, the great negotiator, the hardest working president I have experienced in my lifetime (and perhaps over the last hundred years … or more), the only president with the cajones to stand by the Constitution, and stand firm and tough as nails on the international stage.

Tuesday’s speech was his second to the UN, and while I liked the first speech, in this one he didn’t hold anything back, and I believe was his best speech, yet.

He began by going over the progress his administration has made.  Ronald Reagan had a policy of peace through strength.  In the case of Donald Trump, there is no strength like the power of success.

As Trump laid out the facts about how his “administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.”  A derisive laughter filled the room.  The socialists of the world doesn’t see his accomplishments as progress, and they see him as a temporary joke that will fade away soon, and then they can get back to their elite engineering of the world’s global future.  My question, at this point, was if Trump was going to be able to perhaps move some of them in his direction by the end of the speech.

President Trump smiled.  He replied to their laughter with his usual no fear attitude.  “I wasn’t expecting that reaction but that’s ok.”

A mixture of laughter and applause.  They may not like him due to his opposition to their global and socialist agendas, but they revealed that they respect him, and that’s the first step to getting things turned around.

Then, he disproved their doubts with a recitation of facts that touched on a booming economy in the United States, a military that is stronger than it has been in decades, and the reality that under his watch the leadership being portrayed by the United States on a large range of global issues is more assertive than ever since the last time he talked to these people a year ago.

On the global front President Trump has engineered and presided over a diminishing of threats, such as North Korea and Iran, for example.  With Trump’s leadership the U.S. has engaged on the world stage and has brought more peace and more security around the globe, while simultaneously increasing faith in our own sovereignty as a country.

President Trump explained how the military has gotten stronger, and by the end of his first term he plans to have it more powerful than it’s ever been.  “The United States is stronger, richer, and a safer country than it was when I assumed office less than two years ago.”

And when the U.S. is at its best, the world remains freer, safer, and more prosperous.

He went on to explain that his administration is “standing up for America, and for the American People” first, but then added, “and we are also standing up for the world.”

This was key.  Trump has been accused of being a protectionist and an isolationist.  Is it possible to defend one’s sovereignty, while remaining a part of the club of the world’s countries?  I think Trump proved it possible beautifully, as he articulately dismantled the globalist community word by word in this speech.

“When nations respect the rights of their neighbors and defend the interests of their people,” President Trump said, “they can better work together to secure the blessings of safety, prosperity, and peace.”

Did you hear the words from the U.S. Constitution in there?  “Secure the Blessings” comes from the Preamble.  President Trump is doing as the Framers of the Constitution desired.  Spread liberty, not by regime change, and do so by example, and through the strength of the country’s prosperity.  Be the shining beacon on the top of the hill not to rule over the world, but to serve as an example to be emulated.

“America will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance.”

The room was silent.  Stunned looks draped across the faces of the attendees.  He laid out the tenets of sovereignty, liberty, and a strong America, and they weren’t sure they were hip with it.

“We only ask that you honor our sovereignty in return.”

A fair request, unless you are a socialist bent on globalism, or a Koran-embracing Muslim bent on world domination.

The room remained silent.

“It has been my highest honor to represent the United States abroad.”

He then detailed his work in the Far East and Middle East that has been successful in moving those regions towards peace.

The room sat on their hands.

“Thanks to the United States Military, and our partnership with many of your nations, I am pleased to report that the blood-thirsty killers known as ISIS (I notice he did not legitimize them by calling them ISIL, like Obama did) have been driven out from the territory they once held in Iraq and Syria.  We will continue to work with friends and allies to deny Islamic radical terrorists any funding, territory or support, or any means of infiltrating our borders.”

Not a peep.

He then addressed Syria, calling it “heartbreaking.”  After reaching out to the feelings of those attending, Trump then made sure they understood his resolve.  “But, be rest assured that the United States will respond if chemical weapons are deployed by the Assad regime.”

When President Trump went into the subject of refugees, rather than touch on the dangerous consequences of countries taking in jihad-age male Muslims, and the catastrophic impact migrants have had on Western communities, he explained how important it is for refugees to be taken in by countries closer to their original homes, “to ease his eventual return.”  He used Jordan as an example.

Refugees, after all, are not supposed to be permanent residents in their host countries.

“This approach also stretches finite resources to help far more people, while increasing the impact of every dollar spent.  Every solution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria must also include a strategy to address the brutal regime that has fueled and financed it, the corrupt dictatorship in Iran.”

“Iran’s leaders plunder the region’s resources to enrich themselves.”

“Iran’s neighbors have paid a heavy toll for the region’s agenda of aggression and expansion.  That is why so many countries in the Middle East strongly supported my decision to withdraw the United States from the horrible 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal and reimpose nuclear sanctions.  The Iran Deal was a windfall for Iran’s leaders.  In the years since the deal was reached, Iran’s military budget grew nearly 40%.  The dictatorship used the funds to build nuclear capable missiles, increase internal repression, finance terrorism and fund havoc and slaughter in Syria, and Yemen.  The United States has launched a campaign of economic pressure to deny the regime the funds it needs to advance its bloody agenda.”

Trump went on to explain the sanctions being imposed, sanctions that had been lifted, by the way, under the Iran Deal. This was a message to Iran and other hard-line Muslim countries in the Middle East, as well as a stab at President Obama’s failed policies.

He explained that more sanctions would be on the way.  He took a strong position indicating that these kinds of regimes will not be allowed to exhibit the kind of aggression we are seeing from Iran.  He mentioned Israel, repeating his support for the U.S. ally, reminding the attendees of his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and moving the U.S. Embassy to that city.

President Trump called all that he is doing as being obvious, fair, and that it is bringing peace and prosperity to the world.

“America’s policy of principled realism means we will not be held hostage to old dogmas, discredited ideologies, and so called experts who have been proven wrong over the years time and time again. (stabs at Islam, Socialism, and Climate Change all in one shot).

When discussing trade, Trump talked about America’s generosity, while other countries did not respond in kind.

“The United States will not be taken advantage of any longer.  For decades the United States opened its economy, the largest by far on Earth, with few conditions.  We allowed foreign goods from all over the world to flow freely across our borders.  Yet, other countries did not grant us fair and reciprocal access to their markets in return.  Even worse, some countries abused their openness to dump their products (while targeting China, he brought the whole room into the realm of blame on this one), subsidize their goods, target our industries, and manipulate their currencies to get an unfair advantage over our country.  As a result our trade deficit ballooned to nearly $800 billion a year.  For this reason, we are systematically renegotiating broken and bad trade deals.”

NAFTA became his example.  He called his renegotiation of the deal with our North American neighbors “ground-breaking,” of which it was.  He also referenced his latest success at the negotiating table, a new trade deal with South Korea (but he only said “Korea”, making me wonder if he’s trying to get people to accept the call for reunification of the two Koreas – another great success by the great negotiator).  “And this is only the beginning.”

Trump then hammered on the countries who are trade rule breakers.  “To rig the system in their favor.  They engage in relentless, product dumping, forced technology transfer, and the theft of intellectual property.”

Talk about not mincing his words.

Trump laid out the damage China has caused the United States.  “But those days are over.  We will no longer tolerate abuse.  We will not allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated, and our wealth to be plundered and transferred.”

The words of a person who believes in the power of the free market, and I am sure a painful and unacceptable thing for the socialists in the room to listen to.  That said, those who have doubts in their hearts about socialism were probably reeled in just a little further.

Then he returned to President Obama, and the former president’s tendency to engage on apology tours, apologizing for America being the leader in the world.

“America will never apologize for protecting its citizens.”

He went back to his move to impose tariffs, especially those imposed on China.

“Our trade imbalance is just not acceptable.  China’s market distortions and the way they deal cannot be tolerated. As my administration has demonstrated, America will always act in our national interest.  I spoke before this body last year and warned (a quick camera shot by BBC to Nikki Haley revealed an appreciative smile on her face) that the U.N. Human Rights Council had become a grave embarrassment to this institution.”

His shift to the world stage was seamless.

“Shielding egregious human rights abusers (in particular, Muslim and communist countries) while bashing America and its many friends.  Our ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, laid out a clear agenda for reform … no action at all has been taken … [so] we withdrew from the Human Rights Council and we will not return until real reform is enacted.”

Which launched President Trump into singling out the International Criminal Court (ICC) for criticism.

“As far as America is concerned, the ICC has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy and no authority.  The ICC claims near universal jurisdiction over the citizens of every country, violating all principles of justice, fairness and due process.  We will never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable global bureaucracy. America is governed by Americans.  We reject the ideology of globalism and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism.”

That was a major punch in the gut of the globalist community, and their sinister one-world plans.

“Around the world, responsible nations must defend against the threats to sovereignty, not just from global governance, but also from other new forms of coercion and domination.”

Definitely a stab towards Islam.

Energy also entered Trump’s verbal tour de force.  He explained that “we have become the largest energy producer anywhere on the face of the Earth.  The United States stands ready to export our abundant, affordable supply of oil (which means domestic drilling, which is already on the rise, is an important part of Trump’s plan to continue to make America Great Again), clean coal (in spite of Hillary’s promise to shut down the coal industry if she had won the 2016 Presidential Election), and Natural Gas.”

Then, a reasonable threat emerged, aimed at the Middle Eastern oil producers, and Russia.

“OPEC, and OPEC Nations, are as usual ripping off the rest of the world.  And, I don’t like it, nobody should like it.  (You can hear a faint rumble of laughter if you listen closely)  We defend many of these nations for nothing, and then they take advantage of us, by giving us high oil prices.  Not good.  We want them to stop raising prices, we want them to start lowering prices, and they must contribute substantially to military protection for now on.  We are not going to put up with it, these horrible prices, much longer.  Reliance on a single foreign supplier can leave a nation vulnerable to extortion and intimidation (that’s right, oil producing Middle Eastern nations, he’s calling you out for what you really are … and you can throw Russia into that mix, as well).  That is why we congratulate European states such as Poland for leading the construction of a Baltic Pipeline so that nations are not dependent on Russia to meet their energy needs.”

Well so much for the Democrat Party argument that Trump is a Russian Puppet.  Oh, and was that a message to the opponents of the Keystone Pipeline stateside?

“We reject the interference of foreign nations in this hemisphere and in our own affairs (a very constitutional position that was not only the policy of President Monroe, as Trump pointed out, but of the framers of the Constitution, including George Washington, who warned against foreign entanglements).  The United States has recently strengthened our laws to better screen foreign investments in our country for national security threats, and we welcome cooperation with countries in this region and around the world that wish to do the same.  You need to do it for your own protection.”

He then shifted to the threats against sovereignty by illegal migration, calling it “not humane.”

“Migration should not be governed by an international body, unaccountable to our own citizens.”

He mentioned Venezuela, and the failure of socialism.  He said that socialism has bankrupted Venezuela.  “everywhere” it has been tried socialism has caused “suffering and decay… All nations of the world should resist socialism.”

Trump explained that he believes in a community of diverse nations “pursuing their own unique visions,” recognizing the “unlimited potential” of the United Nations if they are adequately reformed to make it “more effective and accountable.”

He expects other countries to step up and participate in the burden, and not for the United States to be the bankroll of the international organization. “Only when we each do our part and contribute our share, can we realize the United Nations highest aspirations.”

“What kind of world will we leave for our children, and what kind of nations will they inherit?”

President Trump discussed India, successfully lifting many out of poverty.  Saudi Arabia with its bold new reforms.  He praised Israel, and Poland, for standing up for their security and sovereignty.

“The whole world is richer, humanity is better, because of this beautiful constellation of nations…working towards a common future.”

“In America, we believe in the majesty of freedom and the dignity of the individual,” he declared. “We believe in self-government, and rule of law. We prize the culture that sustained our liberty. Sovereign and independent nations are the only vehicle where freedom has ever survived. And so, we must protect our sovereignty and our cherished Independence above all.”

He then went back to the potential of the world, if only they would emulate America’s vision.

“Our task is not to erase it, but embrace it … to find the will to make our nations greater, our regions safer, and the world better.  To unleash this incredible potential … we must defend the foundations that make it all possible.  Sovereign and independent nations are the only vehicle where freedom has ever survived, democracy has ever endured (never mind that the U.S. is supposed to be a republic, not a democracy, but I digress), where peace has ever prospered, and so we must protect our sovereignty, and our cherished independence above all. When we do, we will find new avenues for cooperation unfolding before us, we will find new passion for peacemaking rising within us, we will find new purpose, new resolve, and new spirit flourishing all around us, and making this a more beautiful world in which to live.  So together, let us choose a future of patriotism, prosperity and pride.  Let us choose peace and freedom over domination and defeat.  And, let us come here to this place to stand for our people and their nations.  Forever strong.  Forever sovereign.  Forever just.  And, forever thankful for the grace and the goodness and the glory of God.  (the secularist’s heads surely exploded at that moment)  Thank you, God Bless You, and God Bless the Nations of the World.”

The applause at the end made me wonder.  Did Trump’s tremendous speech drill through their socialist hearts and their humanist love for a leftist agenda?  Were there enough low-hanging fruit in the room that once again, as he has been doing bit by bit, were melting, which gave Trump room to earn even a greater share of respect of the world?

Honest.  Genuine.  Resolved.  That is our President of the United States, and surely, there are those out there who are beginning to notice.

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