Watch CBS News

Trump to deliver UN speech focused on "principled realism"

Trump on UN, Mideast
President Trump to deliver first speech at the United Nations Tuesday 05:38

In his address to the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Trump will deliver a vision of foreign policy that further develops ideas he articulated in his overseas trips to Saudi Arabia and Poland, according to a senior administration official. 

The speech is expected to emphasize "international cooperation" to fight shared threats based on a "rational basis," burden sharing, and a mutual respect for the sovereignty of each country. The official described Mr. Trump's foreign policy philosophy as "principled realism." 

"Nations cannot be bystanders in history – and that if we don't confront the threat now they will only gather force and become more formidable as time passes. And that together, responsible nations have an obligation to engage in collaborative behavior to confront these threats," the senior administration official said when describing the message of the speech. 

President Trump delivers first remarks at United Nations 02:42

Mr. Trump has maintained this vision of foreign policy "for decades," according to the senior administration official.   

"This is his vision. Those of us lucky enough who have the chance to be quote and quote advisors are working for a person who has had a deeply developed world view for decades in terms of reshaping America's, establishing fairness in Americans relationship with other countries and creating a foreign policy that is driven by outcomes not by ideology," the official said. 

According to the official, Mr. Trump will directly address the "North Korean menace…in extremely tough terms," the Iran nuclear deal, the crisis in Venezuela, and terrorism.

When pressed on whether or not Mr. Trump will call out China or Russia specifically, the official said rather cryptically that "everyone in this world who needs to be delivered a message in this speech will understand what message is being delivered to them, and in the way and fashion in which that message is being delivered." 

CBS News' Jacqueline Alemany contributed to this report. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.