Trump defends ‘America first’ at the UN

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Donald Trump decried globalism and encouraged world leaders to attend to the needs of their own countries. The president also chastised China for its trade practices, Iran for its provocative actions in the Middle East, and communist ideologies in general. He voiced support for democracy movements in Hong Kong and Venezuela. And he promoted the economic empowerment of women, religious freedom around the world, the right of individuals not to be jailed or executed for their LGBT status, and the pro-life movement.

How consistent was this message with previous ones? Trump continued his defense of “America first” diplomacy. “The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots,” he said. While the president did not announce any concrete policy changes, he warned the administration may tighten sanctions on Iran if it continues in “menacing behavior.”

Dig deeper: Watch a video of the speech.