Trump's debut U.N. address will aim to square 'America First' with global cooperation

President Trump at the U.N. headquarters

(Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

last updated 19 September 2017

President Trump will make his maiden address before the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, and the speech, drafted by hard-line policy aide Stephen Miller, is expected to focus on North Korea, Iran, and other shared perceived threats. After urging broad U.N. reforms with the U.S. as a partner on Monday, Trump's address Tuesday will be partly an attempt to align Trump's "America First" foreign policy with the need for global cooperation on terrorism and other collective problems.

Trump's speech to world leaders will be a "clear-eyed" look at global challenges, and a call for other countries to bear more of the burden of maintaining peace and prosperity, a senior White House official tells The Washington Post. Trump will focus on "outcomes, not ideology," the official said, and he won't tell other nations "how to live" or "what system of government to have. He will ask countries to respect the sovereignty of other nations. That's the rationale for the basis of cooperation." During the presidential campaign, Trump was a fierce critic of the U.N.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.