"The United Nations is mostly about noise, hot air and fatuous nonsense, and American presidents usually say nice, harmless things they don't actually believe, to be diplomatic, gracious and polite, rarely rebuking with plain speech the lies and hypocrisy that find such a comfortable home at the United Nations.

"Mr. Trump didn't disappoint the delegates who came to see for themselves if the new American was really the president they had heard so much about. He proved that yes indeed, he is, but he said the necessarily harsh things with the cool demeanor he usually keeps to himself.

"In all, his speech was a good day's work, proving again that when he wants to the Donald can rise to a presidential occasion with grit and panache. The alliances of decent men and women had 'tilted the world toward freedom since World War II,' he told them, and invited them to join the United States and 'fight together, sacrifice together for peace, for freedom, for justice.'

"But these must not be mere words. That was the message for the delegates to take home, because he's a president who sounds like he means it."