A year ago US President Donald Trump stood at the podium inside the United Nations' general assembly in New York and ridiculed North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un as "Rocket Man" on a "suicide mission for himself and for his regime".
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On Tuesday, standing in the same spot in front of delegations from Australia and the rest of the world, Trump showered Kim with praise while unloading fiery language on other targets and world bodies.
China, Iran, OPEC, the World Trade Organisation, the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council were all in the president's sights.
Trump has repeatedly told supporters at rallies that America had become a laughing stock on the world stage under previous administrations, but early in his UN speech audience members broke into laughter when he declared, "in less than two years my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country".
"Didn't expect that reaction, but that's okay," a smiling Trump responded.
The theme of Trump's speech was sovereignty.
"I honour the right of every nation in this room to pursue its own customs, beliefs, and traditions," Trump said.
"The United States will not tell you how to live or work or worship.
"We only ask that you honour our sovereignty in return."
A year ago Trump thanked China and Russia for their support in backing sanctions against North Korea, but on Tuesday the president, while describing how Kim's "missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction", berated China on their trade policies.
He said the US had already announced $US250 billion ($A345 billion) worth of tariffs on Chinese-made goods and was not ready to back off.
"China's market distortions and the way they deal cannot be tolerated," Trump said.
Trump, as expected, also unloaded on "the corrupt dictatorship in Iran" and described how "Iran's leaders sow chaos, death, and destruction" and plunder Iran's "resources to enrich themselves and to spread mayhem across the Middle East and far beyond".
Additional US sanctions on Iran will resume in November and Trump said, "we're working with countries that import Iranian crude oil to cut their purchases substantially".
Trump also said that "OPEC nations, are, as usual, ripping off the rest of the world" and the UN human rights council, which Australia was elected to a year ago, "had become a grave embarrassment to this institution, shielding egregious human rights abusers while bashing America and its many friends".
"We withdrew from the human rights council, and we will not return until real reform is enacted," Trump said.
"For similar reasons, the United States will provide no support in recognition to the International Criminal Court.
"As far as America is concerned, the ICC has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority."
Australia's new Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, who watched Trump's speech, is leading Australia's delegation this week at the UN.
Australian Associated Press
