When Donald Trump held up a mirror to the UN – and the world watched

There were few surprises in US President Donald Trump’s speech at the UN General Assembly. For nearly an hour — four times longer than the allotted time — Trump repeated the shibboleths of the MAGA movement that propelled him to power. Full of praise for himself, denigrating domestic political opponents, repeating claims of having “ended seven wars”, including between India and Pakistan, attacking liberal migration policies and denying climate change, the US President’s speech was a mixture of exaggerations and half-truths. He paid lip service to sovereignty while at the same time commenting on the domestic politics of allies, including attacking the mayor of London. In essence, Trump’s domestic political base now shapes US foreign policy. That said, the underlying logic of Trumpism on display also underlined just how far his administration has upended the global order. In that, there are several lessons for national capitals and, perhaps most significantly, for the United Nations itself.

While Trump’s self-proclaimed success as a peacemaker is questionable, his claim that “the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them [conflicts]” cannot be denied. Through much of this century, the UN’s role as mediator, as a neutral arbiter with the authority and means to intervene in conflicts, has been on the wane. Its increasing irrelevance in global politics is not accidental, or merely a function of leaders ignoring it: It stems from structural issues, from financing to the UNSC, that do not reflect how dynamics have shifted since World War II. As “sovereignty” and bilateral and minilateral engagements become more important, several middle powers, including India, are likely to assess just how deeply to engage with the body. For the UN to live up to its principles, it must introspect, adapt and evolve. Take climate change, which Trump called “the greatest con job ever”. Addressing it demands global cooperation and compromise, which must move forward despite Washington’s recalcitrant denial of its dangers. The UN must now ensure that the global community continues its efforts to combat an impending catastrophe creatively.

The speech also invites a broader question: With the Trumpian bull rampaging through the global china shop, how should the rest of the world adapt? The broadly domestic politics-proof orientation of the world’s largest economic and military power is clearly a thing of the past. A change of guard at the White House has seen the US’s position shift — and then oscillate — on the support to Ukraine, the Paris Accord, the Iran nuclear deal and even NATO. In a scenario defined by unpredictability, the best course of action appears to be quiet, bilateral deal-making. Unlike Trump’s maiden speech at the UNGA in his first term, there was no derisive laughter from the audience this time — just polite applause and even chuckles at his humour. And world leaders, including those from European nations attacked by Trump, are eager to meet with the US President and strike agreements. This course of action is prudent in the current moment. But the long-term consequence of Trumpism could well be a further erosion of the depleted idea of internationalism.