This morning, Trump made an appearance for a speech in Warsaw, Poland that echoed much of his inauguration address with its promises of Western domination and punishment of those who don’t get the memo, according to The New York Times. After meeting with the Polish President, Andrejz Duda, he spoke about Russia, North Korea and the role of the United States and the West as a whole in global conflicts at a news conference.
Getting ready to leave for Poland, after which I will travel to Germany for the G-20. Will be back on Saturday.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2017
On the topic of Russia’s involvement in the election last year, Trump remained evasive and vague. “I think it was Russia, and it could have been other people in other countries,” Trump said. “Nobody really knows for sure.”
Regarding the recent missile launch in North Korea, Trump claimed that the country would be punished with “some pretty severe things.” Clowns? Tickling? It could be anything. “I don’t like to talk about what we have planned,” Trump said.
Trump’s repeated refrain during the news conference was that the West needs to remain intact and defensive against threats from radical Islam and others. Trump emphasized at multiple points the superiority and sanctity of “our way of life,” implying other countries should follow suit.
The reason the Polish government and some of its citizenry seem to have such a positive reaction to Trump can be understood from this quote from the Times: “Mr. Trump’s appearance in a setting that symbolizes the Polish people’s resistance to tyranny was well received, as was his message linking the fight against the Islamic State to Poland’s resistance of German invasion and occupation from 1939 to 1945.”
It is also important to note that, according to the Times, “the governing party also bused in supporters from the countryside to ensure a large crowd.” In Warsaw, Poland’s capital, residents are more liberal and therefore more anti-Trump. Choosing an alternate, smaller location for his appearance may have been very strategic for how his speech was received—and portrayed in the media.