Editorial: Trump's rambling UN spectacle

What the world knew, and also long suspected, was at full display when US President Donald Trump delivered a rambling “speech” at the UN General Assembly. When the leader of arguably the most powerful nation harangues for an hour on the world stage, it could be an unseemly sight for many who would squirm in their seats, but his followers would see it as a macho assertion by their demigod leader. One uncharitable view could be that Trump is merely articulating what the US has always believed but rarely articulated so crudely; instead, it has always chosen to convey the same through its unilateral actions as the global policeman, for instance.

The US President’s virulent attack on the global forums and initiatives ought not to come as a surprise to anyone. For instance, the US had the tendency to use the UN system as a proxy when suited and rubbish it when the world body was not being totally subservient or just showed mild signs of resistance or autonomy. Trump simply had more open disdain and was being brazen about it. That subsequently he made contradictory and conciliatory statements expressing 100% support to the UN despite disagreements is typical of him and his political communication, if it can be called that. Likewise, the world needs to worry about the US President’s continued denial of climate science and being dismissive of renewable energy. This has serious implications and will cast its long shadow on the forthcoming climate change conference to be held in November and beyond.

In the geopolitical context, there’s nothing new about Trump training his guns on European friends and allies whose leaders seem to have no option but to grin and bear the humiliating jibes and more. They must be wondering how to cope with this without losing self-respect before their people and the world. Unlike China and Russia, Europe does not have the luxury to either ignore Trump or deal with him without being on its knees. Like Europe, India too finds itself in an equally unenviable situation as Trump goes on repeating ad nauseam that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, much to India’s discomfiture. Again, New Delhi has no choice but to swallow its pride and somehow strike a face-saving deal that it can sell to the Indian people as a respectable outcome. The ruling party would be more worried about its impact on Indian politics. From the Indian perspective, far more dangerous is Trump accusing India of being complicit in the attack on Ukraine, as it was funding the Russian war by buying its oil. Admirably, so far it has been sticking to its guns in this regard, but for how long it can do so is a moot question.

In the end, everyone is scrambling to analyse and explain Trump’s speech at the UN. In the end, many just throw up their hands in dismay and frustration. As reasoned analysis is nearly impossible, they end up saying the obvious — that the US President is unpredictable. Truth is, Trump wields language like a weapon to confuse everyone. For someone wedded to the so-called “America First” and a unilateralist approach to foreign policy, the subtext is crystal clear: “I know what I am doing and you do what I say”. And, the world just braces itself for its consequences.