It seems that when President Trump goes on these foreign trips he likes to stick to his prepared script which really seems to help articulate the message he is trying to make. I think the message to North Korea was made quite clear during his speech to the ROK National Assembly:
President Donald Trump speaks at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Trump was on a two-day official visit to South Korea, the second stop on his 12-day tour of Asia. / Yonhap
U.S. President Donald Trump stressed “peace through strength” in his speech at the National Assembly, Wednesday, giving a stern warning to North Korea.
“The regime has interpreted America’s past restraint as weakness,” Trump said referring to North Korea.“Do not underestimate us.Do not try us.We will defend our common security, our shared prosperity and our sacred liberty.”
The U.S.president cited the country’s military assets deployed around the peninsula ― the world’s three largest aircraft carriers, loaded to the maximum with F-35 and F-18 fighter jets, in addition to nuclear submarines.
“The weapons you are acquiring are not making you safer,” Trump said.“We will offer a path to a much better future,” he added, on the condition of Pyongyang’s “total denuclearization.”
This was the first address by a sitting American leader here in nearly a quarter century.South Korean lawmakers applauded the speech 22 times, particularly when the American leader lauded the nation’s flourishing democracy and eye-opening economic development.
The U.S.leader dedicated most of his 35-minute speech to awakening the atrocities taking place in North Korea ― forced labor, starvation, sexual exploitation, murder and torture ― labeling the country as “hell.”
“The regime has made numerous lethal incursions in South Korea, attempted to assassinate senior leaders, attacked South Korean ships and tortured Otto Warmbier, ultimately leading to that fine young man’s death.”
He highlighted its stark difference with the southern part of the peninsula that features the “stunning skyline of Seoul.” The president described the armistice line between the two Koreas as a line “between peace and war, between decency and depravity, between law and tyranny, between hope and total despair.” [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link and you can watch his full comments at the below video:
Overall I was pretty impressed with his speech especially when he highlights all the human rights abuses happening in North Korea which is often overlooked by politicians and the media.
Trump can be such a compelling and fresh personality if he wanted. If he learns to moderate his tweets and some of his counter productive rhetoric, he’ll be halfway to being a better president.
ChickenHead
6 years ago
“If he learns to moderate his tweets and some of his counter productive rhetoric”
Trump got elected by NOT moderating anything.
Somebody in Washington who doesn’t “moderate” to the point of meaningless is refreshing.
It is time for a president who is crazy and doesn’t give a fųck…
…or, at least, makes everyone think that’s the case.
Smokes
6 years ago
A lot (oooo weasel words) of his speech really wasn’t appropriate for the immediate audience. Does the National Assembly of South Korea really need to sit through 10 minutes of the North Korean Laundry List of Evil Deeds? I’m pretty sure they know about all that; in better context and detail than the guy giving the speech (or the actual person who wrote it). 🙄
I guess you could make the argument since it was being recorded/televised for viewing outside South Korea that it wasn’t just for the National Assembly. 😐
I still think that what little time he had, there were better things to address. 🙁
What pisses me off is that with all the US/RoK issues of the past, present, and future he spends a single rushed day there? TF is that? ❓
@Smokes, there is probably a sizable number people in that room that think the North Koreans were not responsible for some of the misdeeds like the Cheonan sinking. President Trump also highlighted the DPRK human rights abuses which a sizable number in that room probably think aren’t true or make excuses for.
I think as far as the US audience few people know anything about Korea and the speech confirmed the Kim regime are bad people, but Trump is willing to do deal with them if they denuclearized; if not all options are on the table.
Trump can be such a compelling and fresh personality if he wanted. If he learns to moderate his tweets and some of his counter productive rhetoric, he’ll be halfway to being a better president.
“If he learns to moderate his tweets and some of his counter productive rhetoric”
Trump got elected by NOT moderating anything.
Somebody in Washington who doesn’t “moderate” to the point of meaningless is refreshing.
It is time for a president who is crazy and doesn’t give a fųck…
…or, at least, makes everyone think that’s the case.
A lot (oooo weasel words) of his speech really wasn’t appropriate for the immediate audience. Does the National Assembly of South Korea really need to sit through 10 minutes of the North Korean Laundry List of Evil Deeds? I’m pretty sure they know about all that; in better context and detail than the guy giving the speech (or the actual person who wrote it). 🙄
I guess you could make the argument since it was being recorded/televised for viewing outside South Korea that it wasn’t just for the National Assembly. 😐
I still think that what little time he had, there were better things to address. 🙁
What pisses me off is that with all the US/RoK issues of the past, present, and future he spends a single rushed day there? TF is that? ❓
@Smokes, there is probably a sizable number people in that room that think the North Koreans were not responsible for some of the misdeeds like the Cheonan sinking. President Trump also highlighted the DPRK human rights abuses which a sizable number in that room probably think aren’t true or make excuses for.
I think as far as the US audience few people know anything about Korea and the speech confirmed the Kim regime are bad people, but Trump is willing to do deal with them if they denuclearized; if not all options are on the table.