In an aggressive speech, Trump attacked UN assistance for asylum seekers, saying the organisation was “funding an assault on western countries and their borders”He also rejected statehood for Palestinians, saying the “rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists”Trump also threatened new tariffs on Russia over Ukraine warTaoiseach pushed back on Trumps claims and said Europe is “not going to hell”
Trump used the address to claim that Europe is being “invaded” by “illegal aliens”, attacking UN assistance for asylum seekers, saying the organisation was “funding an assault on western countries and their borders”.
“Europe is in serious trouble. They have been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody’s ever seen before,” he said.
“Illegal aliens are pouring into Europe and nobody’s doing anything to change it.”
Trump offered his US immigration crackdown as a case study for what other world leaders should do to curb mass migration he says is altering the fabric of nations. Human rights advocates argue the migrants are seeking better lives.
“I’m really good at this stuff,” Trump said. “Your countries are going to hell.”
However reacting today, Mr Martin said Europe has its challenges “like everyone else”.
“Europe, in my view, is a bastion of good quality living, good opportunities for people, of liberty of freedom of speech, high standards of living, and that’s probably one of the most lucrative single markets in the world,” Mr Martin said.
“So I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that perspective that Europe is going to hell,” he added.
Trump argued that other world leaders should adopt his tough-on-migrants policy, touting his own efforts to arrest and deport migrants in the United States illegally, a stance that many countries around the world have viewed sceptically.
“It’s destroying your country, and you have to do something about it on the world stage,” he said.
Trump, who has cast himself as a peacemaker in a bid to win the Nobel Peace Prize, complained that the United Nations did not support his efforts to end conflicts around the world.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 23rd
The 56-minute speech by Trump was a rebuke to the world body and a return to form for the US president who argued for lower levels of global migration and urged a turn away from climate change policies
Trump called climate change a “con job” and urged a return to a greater reliance on fossil fuels. Most scientists say climate change caused by humans is real.
“Immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe,” Trump said.
The US president told global leaders that “going green” would bankrupt their countries and said that claims regarding climate change were made “by stupid people”.
“It’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion,” Mr Trump said
“All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong.
“They were made by stupid people that have cost their country’s fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success,” he added.
Mr Martin said Mr Trump’s views on climate change were nothing new and that Europe would continue to meet its climate targets.
“The same views have been articulated before by president Trump. I don’t have to agree with those views. I think the green energy agenda has been a very effective one, particularly in terms of solar and in terms of wind,” Mr Martin said.
Asked how climate change can be addressed if the president of the US does not agree that it is an issue, Mr Martin said “we have to work continuously to try and persuade”.
In Trumps first UN address since regaining power in January, he spoke to dozens of world leaders, many of whom have been alarmed to see the United States turn away from traditional alliances in favour of an isolationist “America First” policy.
Turning to Russia, he warned he is prepared to impose strong economic measures over the war in Ukraine and rejected a global move toward recognition of a Palestinian state.
Trump’s warning to Russia came with a twist. He said he wants US allies to impose the same measures on Russia he is proposing to try to force Russian president Vladimir Putin to pull back from the biggest war in Europe since World War Two.
The US president has warned about the possibility of sanctions on Russia several times but has yet to follow through. Lately he has demanded Europe stop all Russian oil purchases before he will take action.
“In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly,” he said.
But for the measures to be effective, he said, “European nations, all of you gathered here, would have to join us in adopting the exact same measures.”
He planned a meeting later in the day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Dozens of world leaders gathered at the United Nations yesterday to embrace a Palestinian state, a landmark diplomatic shift that faces fierce resistance from Israel and its close ally the United States.
Trump rejected statehood for Palestinians, adopting the stance of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists, for their atrocities,” he said, repeating his call for the return of hostages taken by the Palestinian militant group.
Trump said the US wants a ceasefire-for-hostages deal that would see the return all remaining hostages, alive and dead.
“We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to immediately negotiate peace,” he said.
The Taoiseach again disagreed with the comments made by Mr Trump and said the recognition of Palestine was not a “reward” but a “right”.
“I think Antonio Guterres got that right justice when he says recognition of a Palestinian state is not a reward, it’s a right, and that was very much our perspective on it,” Mr Martin said.
“We’re very clear that first of all, it’s a right. Palestinians are entitled to their state. And secondly, it is a logical follow through on everybody’s commitment towards a two state solution. I mean, if you believe in a two state solution, well then there are two states,” he added.