World leaders skip out on Trump to avoid the embarrassment

[Bill]

Sad times in America.


BY FRANCO ORDOÑEZ
fordonez@mcclatchydc.com

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 3:36 PM

WASHINGTON
Leaders of some of the world’s most influential – or controversial – countries skipped Donald Trump’s debut at the United Nations rather than face the prospect of being caught up in an embarrassing controversy by the unpredictable U.S. president.

The list of state leaders missing the international event is long and growing. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are two of the highest profile absences. But there are many whose faces were noticeably absent during Trump’s aggressive speech Tuesday on confronting North Korea, terrorism and communism, including Germany’s Angela Merkel, Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto.

Diplomats say they’ve learned it can be risky to share the spotlight with Trump, who can turn even the most well-intentioned exchange into an international spectacle, such as his notorious call with the Australian prime minister about refugees or the dressing down of NATO leaders at the unveiling of a new headquarters.

“Even meetings that should be a good meeting can veer off into bizarre directions,” said a former U.S. official in contact with the diplomatic community.


The spotlight at this year’s United Nations General Assembly meeting is already largely focused on Trump, who delivered a 40-minute speech on security, sovereignty and fighting terrorism. And many of the world’s leaders sent their underlings to fill the chairs.

Trump to United Nations: 'Rocket Man is on a suicide mission'

President Trump in his first speech to the United Nations referred to North Korea leader Kim Jong Un as a "rocket man," and said the United States, if forced to defend itself and its allies, is "willing and able" to take military action.

The White House
Putin and Merkel are sending their foreign ministers. May chose to travel to Florence to deliver a “major address” on Brexit instead of visiting New York.

“When a U.S. president first appears on the world stage at UNGA, typically he’s besieged with requests to meet with everyone,” the former official said. “Everyone wants a photo. A 15-minute meeting. It’s not happening this time.”

Maduro gave up the opportunity to follow in his mentor and predecessor’s footsteps by using the United Nation’s platform to rail against Trump. In 2006, former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez notoriously called former U.S. President George W. Bush “the devil” who thinks he is “the owner of the world.”

The White House deflected any concerns, saying the high-profile absences won’t hurt the work being conducted.

NSC Advisor H.R. McMaster said the United Nations is not a substitute for the bilateral work Trump has been focused on. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said each leader’s deputy was more than capable of representing that nation’s interests.

“I do think that it’s still going to be strong and have an impact because you've got two very strong foreign ministers from Russia and China that are going to be there,” Haley told reporters. “And the idea that we're going to be talking about Syria and North Korea, and Iran, and all of those other things, I think it will be serious discussions.”

Back in 2009, when former President Barack Obama first stood in the General Assembly hall, he was the fresh-faced leader who inspired hopes for a world that might put racism behind. His staff fielded dozens of requests from world leaders who sought to be seen with the young leader who weeks later would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

With Trump, however, foreign leaders have learned that you never can tell how a conversation, public or private, with Trump is going to go.

The call with Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull early in the Trump administration was supposed to be a good-natured exchange. But the now-notorious phone call turned into a bitter battle over refugees and comparisons to Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Last May, Trump was expected to deliver an uplifting endorsement of NATO’s core missions at a ceremony opening the new NATO headquarters and instead scolded leaders on their financial commitment to the alliance.

And in August, a transcript was leaked of a phone call between Trump and Mexico’s president in which the two argued about the border wall, underscoring for diplomats how little they can trust that private conversations will remain private.

“Leaders of substance,” the former U.S. official said, “if they’re going to meet with Trump, want to do it where they can control more of the agenda and atmospherics.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated British Prime Minister Theresa May’s attendance. She is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Email: fordonez@mcclatchydc.com; Twitter: @francoordonez.

[Pappy Jones]

Did you watch the speech? It was awesome. Straight to the point and pulled no punches.

[Русский агент]

Did you watch the speech? It was awesome. Straight to the point and pulled no punches.

I wonder why silly Billy thinks Trump wanted Communists, Socialists, and Comrade Putin at his speech?

[Pappy Jones]

I wonder why silly Billy thinks Trump wanted Communists, Socialists, and Comrade Putin at his speech?

And to be honest, I think Enrique Peña Nieto has more important issues to deal with right now with the earthquakes. Stay safe and help each other Mexico, thinking about you.

[BRUTALITOPS]

if putin showed up trumps in bed with the russians if putin doesn't show up that's also bad - liberals

[Phantasmal]

if putin showed up trumps in bed with the russians if putin doesn't show up that's also bad - liberals

That's some good shit you are smoking, huh

[cancel2 2022]

And to be honest, I think Enrique Peña Nieto has more important issues to deal with right now with the earthquakes. Stay safe and help each other Mexico, thinking about you.

Angela Merkel is in the middle of a General Election which is being on the 24th of this month.

[BRUTALITOPS]

That's some good shit you are smoking, huh

that's literally the dumbass argument OP is making.

[signalmankenneth]

A photo of White House Chief of Staff John Kelly listening to his boss, President Donald Trump, speak to the United Nations went viral on Tuesday.

Kelly, who has the tough job of reining in Trump, can be seen with his face in his hands in the photo credited to Mary Altaffer of the Associated Press.

The photo was quickly circulated on social media.

During the speech, Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea.

By David Edwards

[Canceled.2018.1]

World leaders skip out on Trump to avoid the embarrassment

that's one way of looking at it. It could also mean they were trying to avoid being called on the carpet and ending up red faced and embarrassed.

[Bill]

that's one way of looking at it. It could also mean they were trying to avoid being called on the carpet and ending up red faced and embarrassed.

Who is he gonna call out?? & Why??

[dukkha]

Putin is busy watching Belarus war games. Xi is probably building dredge islands in the S.China Sea.

Belarus plays down Western fears of aggression stirred by joint war games with Russia
https://www.justplainpolitics.com/sh...es-with-Russia

who knows -who cares. Obama gets a Noble Peace prize just for showing up-
so it's not like this stuff matters all that much in the world of realpolitik

[Bill]

He got it for not being bush......... That was enough for them..

[dukkha]

He got it for not being bush......... That was enough for them..

he got it for being a needlessly apologetic globalist. They loved him

[Waternark]

Did you watch the speech? It was awesome. Straight to the point and pulled no punches.

They're saying that Donald Trump's United Nations speech is the greatest speech in the United Nations history.

It seems like Trump just can't lose.