© EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ / POOL The US President is convinced that Americans' lives have improved, but they are not being told about it well.
US President Donald Trump conducted a press briefing at the White House dedicated to the first anniversary of his second term. The occasion, planned as a demonstration of the achievements from the initial year of his second presidential period, became a catalog of Trump’s well-known arguments – spanning from self-admiration and attacks on Joe Biden to contentious pronouncements on the economy, NATO, Greenland, and Europe.
Key points from Donald Trump's speech:
“Incredible Year” and the Achievement Folder
Trump presented himself before journalists holding a sizable folder, which he characterized as a compendium of his accomplishments for the year. He stated that his administration had amassed so many successes “that no one has witnessed before.”
“I could stand here and read all week — and we still wouldn’t finish,” the president remarked.
Amongst his accomplishments, notably, he cited an agreement with Ukraine concerning rare earth minerals.
“We're going to have a lot of rare earth elements. They're actually not that rare. There's a lot of them. There's a lot of earth too,” Trump observed.
Again about the “stolen election” and Biden
During his address, Trump repeated his assertion that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. He dedicated a substantial portion of his discourse to denouncing Joe Biden, holding him accountable for issues involving immigration, inflation, and the overall condition of the nation.
“Sleepy Joe Biden. Corrupt Joe Biden — call it what you want. He's both sleepy and corrupt. He was the worst president we've ever had,” Trump declared.
Russia's war with Ukraine
Donald Trump indicated that he was attempting to bring an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine:
“I'm trying to resolve the last issue. I'm trying to resolve the problem with Russia and Ukraine. And when Russia is ready, Ukraine is not ready. And when Ukraine is ready, Russia is not ready,” he lamented.
Immigration and the “worst of the worst”
At the commencement of the press conference, Trump examined and displayed to reporters materials featuring photographs of apprehended undocumented immigrants, whom he referred to as “the worst of the worst.” He defended his administration’s stringent actions and asserted an alleged surge in support among Latinos.
“I love Hispanics. They are incredibly entrepreneurial,” the president voiced.
Economy and complaints about the media
Speaking regarding the economy, Trump grumbled that the favorable results of his policies were “not being communicated effectively to the public.”
“Maybe I have bad PR, but we don't report it,” he commented.
Concurrently, the president once more reiterated the mathematically improbable claim of “reducing drug prices by 600%,” despite the reality that pharmaceutical corporations in the US persist in elevating prices for medications addressing cancer, heart failure, and diabetes.
National Guard presence in American cities
Trump boasted about deploying the National Guard in Washington and other urban centers, stating that he favors the appearance of cities with a military presence, while once again amplifying crime statistics in Democratic-governed cities and the efficacy of military engagement.
“In my opinion, the city looks better when there are military personnel in it,” the president said.
Downsizing the state apparatus and exaggerating the numbers
The US president also considerably overstated the magnitude of the federal workforce reductions. Despite the fact that roughly 220,000 public servants were dismissed in the past year, Trump asserted that “millions” of individuals have been removed from the federal payroll. He has also asserted, without substantiation, that all those laid off have been given “much better jobs with higher wages” in the private sector.
NATO, Greenland and allies
Trump mentioned the US would come to NATO's assistance if attacked, but voiced reservations that the alliance itself would defend the United States. His remarks followed prior threats to “take control” of Greenland and public ridicule of European leaders, which specialists contend is straining relationships with allies.
“I've done more for NATO than any other person, dead or alive. The biggest fear I have about NATO is that we've spent enormous amounts of money on NATO, and I know we're going to come to their aid, but I really doubt they're going to come to our aid,” Trump stated, addressing reporters from the White House briefing room before departing for Davos later on Tuesday.
When questioned concerning how far he was willing to proceed to “acquire” Greenland, the president's response was succinct.
“You will find out,” he said and moved on to the next question.
The Nobel Prize and the attacks on Norway
Separately, Trump revisited the subject of the Nobel Peace Prize, complaining that he never obtained it. He made cutting comments regarding Norway, where the Nobel Committee is located.
“Don't let anyone say that Norway has no influence on anything. Everything is there, in Norway. They say: 'We have no business here.' That's not true. They have lost all prestige,” the president expressed.
When asked whether winning the Nobel Peace Prize would improve the lives of Americans, Trump admitted that it wouldn't.
“This won't improve anyone's life — people's lives are improved by the people themselves who live. I've probably saved tens of millions of lives in wars, if you add up the numbers,” the president said.
Peace Council and the UN
Donald Trump did not dismiss the notion that the “Peace Council” he established could supplant the UN, but emphasized that the Organization “should be permitted to continue to exist.”
According to the US president, the UN “hasn't been particularly helpful” throughout.
“I'm a big fan of the potential of the UN, but it never lived up to that potential. The UN should have resolved every single war that I've resolved. I never went to them. It never even occurred to me to go to them. They should be able to resolve these wars. I think the UN should be allowed to continue to exist because its potential is great,” Trump said.
The Peace Council was created as part of Trump's deal to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. This week, he sent an invitation to world leaders to join the group, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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In the article “Trump's Anniversary 2.0: No Brakes,” Ukraine's former ambassador to the United States, Oleh Shamshur, lays out the new logic of Trump's power — without illusions or embellishments.