Trump at the UN: unorthodox, robust and correct

In his first UN visit, US president Donald Trump delivered a powerful and sobering address in his characteristically robust style. Like his predecessors in the White House, Mr Trump’s message was that he would defend the US and its allies against North Korean aggression. He used the podium of the UN General Assembly to underline the gravity of the crisis on the Korean peninsula, warning of the potentially catastrophic consequences of Pyongyang’s current policy trajectory.

“The US has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies (against Pyongyang’s aggression), we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” Mr Trump said. “Rocket Man”, he said, dubbing Kim Jong-un with a nickname from Elton John’s lyrics, was “on a suicide mission for himself and his regime”.

The unorthodox phrasing of the warning inevitably drew criticism. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom labelled it “wrong speech, wrong time, wrong audience”. But having inherited the Korean imbroglio from the failures of Barack Obama, and with traditional diplomacy having little effect on Pyongyang or in persuading Beijing to act decisively, Mr Trump has been left with little alternative but to call on the international community to help avert disaster. It is, as he said, “an outrage that some nations continue not only to trade with such a regime but would arm, supply, and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict”.

Nations also should heed Mr Trump’s warning about Iran, which he castigated for speaking “openly of mass murder, vowing death to America (and the) destruction of Israel”. The tone of his words suggested he will scrap the nuclear deal with Iran signed by Mr Obama.

For the sake of world peace, and the Asia-Pacific region in general, the issues stemming from Mr Trump’s address must not be ignored. If the doomsday scenario he warned of is to be averted, the world must pressure Pyongyang to return to the negotiating table.