JUDY WOODRUFF: Back now to President Trump's day at the United Nations, where the focus
was heavily on Iran.
Our foreign affairs correspondent, Nick Schifrin, reports.
NICK SCHIFRIN: One day after declaring disdain for global governance, President Trump walked
into the U.N. Security Council, and the world's top diplomats hushed their voices.
But in a room defined by decorum, a president who doesn't always stick to the script showed
respect to tradition and stuck to the script.
DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: The Security Council is called to order.
NICK SCHIFRIN: This was Mr. Trump's first Security Council briefing, and he immediately
targeted Iran.
DONALD TRUMP: The United States will pursue additional sanctions, tougher than ever before,
to counter the entire range of Iran's malign conduct.
Any individual or entity who fails to comply with these sanctions will face severe consequences.
NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S. is trying to pressure Iran to curve its ballistic missile program
and regional proxies, such as Hezbollah, that attack Iran's enemies.
To do so, the U.S. is pressuring Europeans for help.
But the European Union's top diplomat this week announced new ways for Iran to avoid
U.S. sanctions, and European leaders are criticizing the president's decision to withdraw from
the Iran nuclear deal they negotiated together, known as the JCPOA, then reimpose sanctions.
French President Emmanuel Macron:
EMMANUEL MACRON, French President (through translator): A serious crisis of confidence
was opened by a reimposition of sanctions by the United States.
But Tehran continues to abide by its nuclear obligations.
We need to build together a long-term strategy in order to manage this crisis, and it cannot
boil down to just sanctions and containment.
NICK SCHIFRIN: And British Prime Minister Theresa May:
THERESA MAY, British Prime Minister: For many years, the scale and nature of Iran's nuclear
program raised serious international concerns.
The JCPOA was an important step forward in addressing these.
It remains the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Iran promises to abide by the deal's nuclear limits.
And, today, President Hassan Rouhani said the U.S. isolated itself from its allies.
HASSAN ROUHANI, Iranian President (through translator): We are not isolated, as a matter
of fact.
America is isolated.
At the General Assembly, America was isolated.
At the Security Council, America was isolated.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister: Mr. President, Donald, thank you.
NICK SCHIFRIN: On Iran, the U.S. is aligned with Israel, and the president met with Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But he suggested moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem will require Israeli accommodations
and peace talks.
And for the first time, he declared support for creating a Palestinian state next to Israel.
DONALD TRUMP: I like two-state solution.
That's what I think works best.
I don't even have to speak to anybody.
That's my feeling.
Now, you may have a different feeling.
I don't think so.
But I think two-state solution works best.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Mr. Trump said his diplomatic approach to North Korea is also working.
In a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he pulled out a letter from Kim
Jong-un and said it was a sign that Kim, who has overseen a nuclear program and vast human
rights abuses, is changing his stripes.
DONALD TRUMP: North Korea, under the leadership of ®MDNM¯Chairman Kim, has tremendous economic
potential, tremendous.
And I think that Chairman Kim sees that maybe better than anybody.
NICK SCHIFRIN: And, today, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced he would go to Pyongyang
next month, with the intention of setting up a second summit between President Trump
and Kim Jong-un.
And the president was asked why he would hold a second summit.
He said, well, Kim asked for it.
And he said that letter that he got, Judy, is a sign that the two sides are making progress.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, Nick, one other thing that president made news on today is, he said that
China, China is meddling in the U.S. 2018 elections.
Tell us more about what he said.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes, he hasn't said this before, certainly not on this scale and at this platform
at the U.N.
And he said this in the Security Council and at a press conference just a few minutes ago.
He said that China was meddling in elections because, in his words, he was being tough
on China economically.
Now, he gave no details on that, both at -- in the Security Council and at the press conference.
And we asked a senior administration official about that.
And he gave a few details on the bone.
And we should say, these are not the kind of interference in the election that we saw
in 2016 at all, one example, China courting politicians and farmers in states that voted
for Trump.
Now, I should say, Judy, China has invested in swing states and swing districts long before
Trump became the president, in order to have some political influence.
Second example, rewarding journalists and think tanks who are nice to China.
Again, they have done that before Trump became president.
Intimidating people who are critical of China.
Again, they have done that before Trump became president.
And ,lastly, using state media for propaganda against President Trump.
Again, they did that before Trump became president.
And what President Trump did not mention today, Judy, is Russia, which, according to the intelligence
community in 2016, launched the hacking campaign into President Trump's opponent, distributed
that information, and launched a disinformation campaign as well.
And the intelligence community says that is ongoing in 2018.
President Trump did not mention that at all today.
JUDY WOODRUFF: No mention of it.
A lot to keep track of.
Nick Schifrin, covering the United Nations General Assembly for us this week, thank you,
Nick.