Nuclear Issues

The Trump administration has never shown much interest in human rights. Last year, it pulled the United States out of the U.N. Human Rights Council. In 2017, within months of President Trump’s inauguration, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said diplomats should not let human rights values become “obstacles” to achieving national goals. Trump has spoken favorably about some of the world’s most vicious dictators.

A interview conducted by The Fletcher School Forum with Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

Before President Trump announces his decision on the Iran Deal, Former US Ambassador to NATO Nick Burns and Former Senior Policy Advisor for Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Jake Sullivan join Andrea Mitchell to discuss what this decision could mean for foreign policy.

Fmr. Amb. Nicholas Burns joins Morning Joe to discuss the naming of John Bolton as the new national security adviser. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., also joins the conversation.

If the Trump administration is really thinking about trying to give North Korea a “bloody nose” with a limited military attack, it should look carefully at Israel’s experience — which shows the possible benefits of a quick strike but also the difficulty of keeping a lid on a conflict once it starts.

It was the debut speech heard around the world – Donald Trump at the United Nations, putting American First and other nations on notice. Over the course of 41 minutes, the president criticized the Iran nuclear deal, promised to “totally destroy” North Korea if its leader Kim Jong-Un – otherwise known as “Rocketman” – continues his path and vowed to crush the “loser terrorists” in the Middle East.

As other world leaders took their turns today, President Trump made his first address to the UN General Assembly. He threatened what he called, "small regimes than violate UN principles. Trump threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea, calling Kim Jung Un "Rocket Man" on a "suicide mission." He told an audience of world leaders that Iran is a "murderous regime," and that the nuclear deal is "an embarrassment" to the United States. While saying that some countries around the world are "going to hell," he also called for "standing together" — with the US and every other nation putting its own interests first. All this with cutbacks curtailing State Department diplomacy. Is the Trump Administration giving up leadership of the Western World?

The Belfer Center's Nick Burns and John Park discuss on KCRW's To The Point. 

The United Nations' General Assembly is underway and this year's official theme is "Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for all on a Sustainable Planet." We are joined by Nicholas Burns of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and John Micklethwait, Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief.