U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 speech to the United Nations was colourful, blunt and uncharacteristic of most presidents, although very characteristic of this one, experts say.
Trump took a fiery stance in his first address before the international body, calling out Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Syria and, most explosively, North Korea, with his threat to 鈥渢otally destroy鈥� the regime that is currently rushing toward arming itself with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.
鈥淭he United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself and its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,鈥� Trump said in his prepared address. He went on to repeat the nickname he used to mock North Korea鈥檚 leader, Kim Jong Un, in a recent tweet. 鈥溾�楻ocket Man鈥� is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime,鈥� Trump said.
Analysts say there were no major surprises in Trump鈥檚 speech, which was filled with blunt talk and bombastic proclamations.
鈥淚t鈥檚 signature Trump,鈥� David Adesnik, director of research at Defense of Democracies, told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Tuesday. Adesnik said Trump鈥檚 threat to North Korea is 鈥渘othing compared to the daily propaganda coming out of Pyongyang,鈥� although it is still 鈥渧ery much uncharacteristic for American presidents.鈥�
Adesnik says the real question after Trump鈥檚 speech is whether he will match his tough words with tough actions.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 a lot of bluster and we don鈥檛 see action to back it up, it will be remembered as 鈥楾rump talk,鈥� and then a matter of confusion afterwards,鈥� Adesnik said.
But while Trump鈥檚 words made several countries uncomfortable on Tuesday, he also opened the door for more bilateral talks with the UN鈥檚 member nations, University of Iowa political science professor Timothy Hagle said.
鈥淗e seems to be willing to talk with the UN to achieve our goals,鈥� Hagle told 麻豆传媒 Channel. 鈥淚t may help smooth out our ability to work with our allies.鈥�
Hagle also pointed out that Trump drew some applause from the assembly with his word of warning to Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro recently consolidated his power.
鈥淭he Venezuelan people are starving and their country is collapsing,鈥� Trump said, adding that the country鈥檚 democratic principles are under threat.
Adesnik says the speech could become a turning point in international relations, especially if Trump puts more pressure on Russia and China to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a step forward only to the extent that they鈥檙e enforced,鈥� he said.
Hagle praised Trump for staying on message and sounding (mostly) like a president. 鈥淗e usually does when he sticks on script.鈥�
The only blip he noted was Trump鈥檚 use of his new 鈥淩ocket Man鈥� nickname for Kim Jong Un. Hagle called that moment 鈥渦nexpected,鈥� but 鈥渘ot that bad in the sense of what we鈥檙e used to from President Trump.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 speech also drew praise from Mary-Kate Cary, who once served as speechwriter for former president George H. W. Bush.
Cary called it a 鈥渧ery well-written鈥� speech, and added that Trump鈥檚 delivery 鈥済ot better as he went on.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any other kind of president could have given that speech,鈥� she said.
Cary also credited Trump for laying out his position on foreign policy in a clear manner 鈥� something he鈥檚 failed to do thus far with other issues such as healthcare, she said.
鈥淗e really gave a very vigorous defence of what 鈥楢merica First鈥� looks like in foreign policy,鈥� she said, adding that he also managed to work in the tone of his persona on Twitter.
鈥淗e had a nice combination of defence of democracy and American ideals with some of his tweets,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e had his fingerprints all over it.鈥�
