Trump's State of the Union Address

(updated) President Trump delivered his first State of the Union Address on 30 January 2018, a year after he took office of the world most powerful nation. State of the Union Address is a policy speech of the President focusing on the leadership direction to its people as well as government machinery to face the challenges in the upcoming months/years.  

Not going into the details of his remarks but I am highlighting few paras from script that touched on the US foreign policy and will have some impact directly or indirectly across region including Malaysia. 

Trump single out Russia and China as the US rivals that challenge its geo-political interest, economy and values. He further requested Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and increase funding to modernize and rebuild nuclear arsenals just to deter any acts of aggression. 

On terrorism Trump said he has inked an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine US military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay.

On declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and in reaction of dozens of countries who voted against the decision in the United Nations, Trump asked the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends. Trump also revealed that billions of dollars were sent to those countries in aid every year and this should stop. Those countries (including Malaysia) who voted against the declaration may face more strongest retaliation in the upcoming months.

Trump also asked the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal. This can be read as an indication that Iran may face more economic sanction in the near future. 

On North Korea Trump said  But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening. Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position. We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies. 

From diplomatic perspective, Trump's script does not carry any diplomacy value in overcoming nuclear tension in Korean peninsular. US may go more harder to pressure NK to give up its nuclear program, and this may happen immediately after the winter Olympic. In any way US aggressive policy on NK will not be helpful neither to US nor other neighbours in this region. In the past, I have raised the question what will happen if NK drop bombs in Southeast Asia as this region is generally seen as pro US despite lately leaning to Beijing.