Ah yes, President Trump’s day in New York, let’s dig deeper, shall we?

At the United Nations on Tuesday, Trump delivered an unapologetic defense of his “America First” agenda, using the world stage to challenge the Cuban government, the International Criminal Court, global taxation and international approaches to immigration.

While cameras rolled and diplomats shifted in their seats, Trump’s message was unmistakable: The United States would not surrender its sovereignty, borders or citizens to an international organization or foreign government.

Trump began with Cuba, describing the communist-led country as a “failed state” and predicting that its government would eventually fall. The remarks prompted the Cuban delegation to walk out of the General Assembly.

For Trump and his supporters, the walkout demonstrated that his words had landed. His argument was straightforward: The United States should not tolerate a hostile communist government located just 90 miles from its shores, particularly one with relationships with America’s global adversaries.

Trump also used the moment to contrast his administration’s position with that of Democrats who oppose the United States’ longstanding economic pressure on Cuba.

Representative Pramila Jayapal and Representative Jonathan Jackson traveled to Cuba earlier this year and condemned U.S. restrictions on fuel shipments to the island. In a joint statement, they described the policy as an “economic bombing” of Cuban infrastructure and called for negotiations between Washington and Havana. The lawmakers argued that the restrictions were harming Cuban civilians, hospitals and schools; critics accused them of providing political cover for the communist government.

That dispute captures the broader divide over Cuba. Trump views sanctions and economic pressure as necessary tools against an authoritarian adversary. Jayapal and other opponents of the policy argue that those measures inflict humanitarian suffering without producing political reform.

Trump then turned to the International Criminal Court, calling it a “rogue institution” and urging its member countries to withdraw. He rejected the court’s claim to jurisdiction over American citizens and service members and warned against allowing an international body to investigate or prosecute them.

The United States is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction over Americans without U.S. consent. Opposition to that authority has crossed party lines over the years, although Trump’s language was considerably more confrontational than that of previous presidents.

Trump also accused international institutions of applying a double standard—ignoring religious persecution and violence around the world while criticizing American domestic policies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made a similar case against the ICC, describing it as a power-hungry global tribunal staffed by unelected bureaucrats.

The administration’s position is that the court is attempting to establish an unaccountable system of international law capable of targeting Americans and overriding national sovereignty. Supporters of the ICC counter that the court provides a mechanism for prosecuting genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national governments are unable or unwilling to do so.

Trump framed his stance not as isolationism, but as the basic responsibility of a sovereign nation to protect its citizens and military personnel.

He applied the same argument to global taxation. Trump criticized an effort through the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization to establish an international carbon-pricing system for shipping. He said his administration intervened to prevent what he characterized as the world’s first global carbon tax.

His answer to the assembled leaders was blunt: “Absolutely not.”

For Trump, the proposal represented another attempt by an international organization to impose costs on American businesses and consumers without the direct approval of American voters. Supporters of the maritime plan have argued that international coordination is necessary to reduce emissions from an industry operating across national borders.

Immigration received the same treatment. Trump criticized the contradiction of international institutions claiming to protect cultural heritage while endorsing migration policies that, in his view, can weaken the borders and national identities of Western countries.

Trump declared that there is no human right to illegal immigration, but there is a right for countries to remain sovereign nations.

That principle remains fiercely contested at home. Republicans argue that some Democratic immigration policies encourage unlawful entry while creating significant costs for taxpayers and communities. Congressman Brandon Gill has characterized the issue as both a political power play and a financial burden on the American public.

Events in Texas this week illustrated the depth of that division.

Representative Greg Casar sharply criticized federal immigration authorities after an ICE agent shot and wounded a Venezuelan man during an enforcement operation in Austin. Casar demanded an immediate, independent investigation and accused the agency of making the city less safe. ICE said the man had a final order of removal, while his attorney disputed aspects of the government’s account.

The Austin controversy showed how quickly immigration enforcement can become a national political battle. Trump and his allies argue that federal agents must be permitted to enforce immigration law. Casar and other critics contend that aggressive enforcement tactics endanger communities and require greater accountability.

Outside the United Nations building, demonstrations provided another stark image of the country’s political divide.

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Anti-Trump protesters clashed with police, and officers made arrests. Although representatives of governments accused by the United States of sponsoring terrorism were also present at the UN, much of the demonstrators’ anger was directed at the American president and his policies.

The competing reactions inside and outside the building reflected the central argument of Trump’s address: Who should ultimately decide America’s policies—the country’s elected government or international institutions operating beyond the direct control of American voters?

Trump’s answer was unequivocal. The United States would not outsource its borders, security, energy policy or the fate of its citizens. His administration would continue applying pressure to Cuba, rejecting the ICC’s authority over Americans and opposing international taxes that it believes would burden the country.

Whether listeners viewed the speech as a necessary defense of sovereignty or a broad attack on international cooperation, its purpose was clear. Trump entered a room built around diplomacy and consensus and delivered a message designed to disrupt both.

The Cuban delegation walked out. The ICC was put on notice. A global carbon-pricing proposal was condemned. National borders were defended.

“America First” was not merely the slogan accompanying Trump to New York. It was the policy he presented directly to the world.