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U.S. President Donald Trump gives speech at Warsaw, Poland

Description

The U.S. president Donald Trump delivered a public speech in front of the Warsaw Uprising Monument at Krasinski Square, in Warsaw, the capital of Poland on July 6, 2017. During the speech, Donald Trump argued the future of Western freedom is at stake and called to defend the Western civilization against the threats of “terrorism and extremism” . The speech had drawn many speculations and criticisms from different media.

Before the Event

Donald Trump was planned to stop in Poland before the G20 summit in Germany. Before the event, Poland set up a stage at the downtown Warsaw square for his speech and deployed security in preparing for the U.S president’s visit. There were colorful posters on the streets to invite people to attend the event and hanged up signs showing traffic diversions that indicated the place where Trump would stay in during his visit Warsaw . Ruling politicians and pro-government activists also planned to bus in groups of people to attend the event for ensuring a warm welcome for Trump .

Speech

The U.S president, Donald Trump’s speech, began with the message: “America loves Poland, and America loves the Polish people” (The White House, 2017). In Trump’s speech, he promised a trade deal in the energy sector with Poland. Trump proclaimed, “To the citizens of this great region, America is eager to expand our partnership with you.  We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce as you grow your economies. And we are committed to securing your access to alternate sources of energy, so Poland and its neighbors are never again held hostage to a single supplier of energy

Trump then spoke highly of the spirit of the Polish people for defending the “true value”, the freedom and independence of Poland. He acknowledged the history of Poland during the war eras for defending the civilization: “What great spirit. We salute your noble sacrifice and we pledge to always remember your fight for Poland and for freedom .”

Trump then recalled the day of June 2, 1979, when the Polish people gathered for their first mass with Polish Pope John Paul II. He said, “And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with their Polish Pope, that day, every communist in Warsaw must have known that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down. They must have known it at the exact moment during Pope John Paul II’s sermon when a million Polish men, women, and children suddenly raised their voices in a single prayer. A million Polish people did not ask for wealth.  They did not ask for privilege.  Instead, one million Poles sang three simple words: ‘We Want God’ .”

Following the praises of Poland, Trump continued with the statement of defending the Western civilization against threats: “This continent no longer confronts the specter of communism.  But today we’re in the West, and we have to say there are dire threats to our security and to our way of life.” Following the applaud of the audiences, Trump continued: “ We are confronted by another oppressive ideology — one that seeks to export terrorism and extremism all around the globe.  America and Europe have suffered one terror attack after another.  We’re going to get it to stop .” Trump said the U.S and Poland had mutual values and commitment against Russia’s actions and destabilizing activities and support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran , in order to protect “freedom, sovereignty and the rule of law”. Poland had concerned about Russian activities around its borders, and Poland’s eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party had opposed accepting Muslim migrants that received criticism from its western European peers, which shares views with Trump on the issue of migration . Trump warned the danger of steady creep of government bureaucracy, which he said is draining “the vitality and wealth of the people” .

Donald Trump continued the speech with the compliment of the community of nations, stating the respect of traditions and customs, pursuit of innovation, protection of freedom of speech, and empowerment of women as the principles of the community of nations. He brought up the urge for Europe to do more to demonstrate the belief in the future of the Western survival.

Trump finished the speech with the history of the defense of Jerusalem Avenue, remembering the soldiers who risked their lives in the battle. He said: “And today as ever, Poland is in our heart, and its people are in that fight. Just as Poland could not be broken, I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph .”

Reactions

After the U.S president Donald Trump gave the speech in Poland, he received various responses from different media outlets. An editorial board member Jonathan Capehart from The Washington Post called the speech as the dog whistles of white nationalists. A journalist from The Atlantic posted an article calling Donald Trump for offending the race and religion and added the mutual ideology between the United States and Polish governments is the hostility to Muslim immigration . Other media outlets also criticized Trump’s ethnocentric approach. David Smith in The Guardian commented Trump’s speech as muddled thinking and dark nativism . In contrast, outlets like The Wall Street Journal praised it as a “defining speech” .

During the speech, the crowd at the square were chanting with the slogan of “DONALD TRUMP” that interrupted the speech several times . However, there was opposition against Trump’s arrival in Warsaw on that day. Polish women gathered across the world wearing the costume inspired by Margaret Atwood’s 1985 feminist novel The Handmaid’s Tale to protest Trump being sexism. They held up signs written with “DUMB TRUMP” to show opposition .