In August 2014, Donald Trump tweeted, "We need a
president who isn't a laughing stock to the entire world. We need a
truly great leader, a genius at strategy and winning. Respect!"
He
was considering a presidential campaign at the time and, in retrospect,
was clearly thinking of himself as a "truly great leader, a genius at
strategy and winning".Well today as President, Donald Trump was literally laughed at by delegates at the United Nations General Assembly.
"In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country," he stated flatly.
"Amurricurrrs …" he stumbled. "So true …" he ad-libbed awkwardly.
A slow ripple of laughter reached Mr Trump's podium from the domed 1,898-seat auditorium.
Mr Trump paused, then laughed: "Didn't expect that reaction but that's okay."More laughter, and some applause, but it was hardly a show of respect.
A year ago, no-one was laughing
As literally as it's possible to be, the American President just became "a laughing stock to the entire world".US presidents since Harry Truman have stood in front of those familiar green marble tiles (which Donald Trump described as "cheap" in 2012 when he offered to replace them with "beautiful marble slabs").
Those presidents have spoken of war and peace, economic triumphs and disasters.
Their serious words have been met at times with only muted applause, murmurs of dissent or stony silence, but never, as far as I can recall, laughter.
One year ago at the UN General Assembly, nobody was laughing.
In 2017, Mr Trump issued an extraordinary warning to North Korea over its nuclear weapons testing, saying if America 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".
This year there was no name-calling.
"I would like to thank Chairman Kim for his courage and for the steps he has taken, though much work remains to be done. The sanctions will stay in place until denuclearisation occurs," Mr Trump said.
This year's target, what Mr Trump describes as the "corrupt dictatorship", is Iran."Iran's leaders sow chaos, death and disruption," he said.
"We cannot allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' and that threatens Israel with annihilation to possess the means to deliver a nuclear warhead to any city on Earth."
That just hours after Mr Trump tweeted that he's sure the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is a "lovely man".
Despite requests, I have no plans to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Maybe someday in the future. I am sure he is an absolutely lovely man!
Trump's league of frenemies
The world is perhaps becoming used to Mr Trump's habit of neck-snapping turnarounds, from greatest enemy to greatest friend.The trouble with that of course is that his words become meaningless, as do his boasts about his achievements, be they in the electoral college or the stock market.
Hence the disbelieving chuckles at the UN.
What has Mr Trump's administration really achieved in key areas like North Korea?
The difference between US-North Korea relations between 2017 and 2018 is essentially that a war of words has been replaced with hollow words of praise. The carrot instead of the stick.
But we are yet to see anything tangible beyond a suspension of nuclear and missile testing. The threat remains. North Korea's nuclear capacity is intact.
We've been here many times before since the early 1990s, and as always, the details of denuclearisation and what North Korea will want in return are still a major stumbling block.
Just as there were dangers in overhyping the threat, there are potentially more in brushing it aside prematurely after a handshake and a photo.
Trump cuts UN budget
Meanwhile, Mr Trump is continuing to erode America's central place in the world order by pinching pennies as if the UN were a failing casino in Atlantic City.On Wednesday, he announced the US would limit its funding for UN peacekeeping to 25 per cent of the operation's overall budget, representing a 3.47 per cent cut on its current contribution.
Fair enough, you may well say. Maybe it's time other countries pay their share.
Maybe, but there is a reason why the US has carried a heavy burden at the United Nations, just as it hosts the UN itself in New York City.
When the UN charter was drafted, it didn't include the word democracy, yet in the post-World War II era the UN has done more to promote democracy than any other institution, despite the spread of anti-democratic systems of government including permanent members of the UN Security Council China and the former Soviet Union.
That post-1945 democratic mission is in large part due to America's influence.
That influence is expressed in many ways, but as they say, money talks.
Donald Trump, of all people, should know that.
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