Trump wrongheaded on U.N.

Every time it seems that President Donald Trump can’t get any worse, he somehow manages to rise — or rather descend — to the occasion. His bombastic, menacing tirade at the United Nations threatening to tear up the Iran deal and “totally destroy” North Korea is an unnerving case in point.

The U.N. was organized under American leadership at the end of the most destructive war in history in hope that nations coming together in that forum could find ways to avoid another conflagration.

Trump’s belligerent outburst dishonored those who gave their lives for peace in World War II and embarrassed the nation he claims to lead. I can think of nothing like it in the U.N.’s 72-year history. It makes Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s infamous shoe-pounding seem tame by comparison.

It is not clear what Trump was seeking to accomplish. Even less clear is what the results could be. His bad-hair counterpart in Pyongyang likely welcomes such games. Kim Jong Un is not likely to be intimidated. On the contrary, nothing might make him happier than to go down in glory with the world in flames around him.

Trump’s fulminations are not the answer.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Trump wrongheaded on U.N.."