President Trump’s brief but belligerent speech to the UN General Assembly today only served as a reminder that his policies toward Iran have been a complete and utter failure. Iran is today much closer to possessing a nuclear weapon than they were when Trump took office. Its hardliners are empowered and emboldened, openly launching missiles at US troops in the region. Having destroyed the united international front against Iran’s most threatening behavior that it inherited from the Obama-Biden administration, Trump has left the US totally isolated at the United Nations, alienated from — and now openly threatening — even our closest European allies.

Leading Democratic lawmakers have rightly rejected Trump’s new sanctions gambit for what it is — a blatant attempt to tie the hands of a Biden administration as it hopes to restore the Iran nuclear agreement and revive effective, multilateral diplomacy. The president’s comments to the UN are a reminder that the character and international standing of our nation is on the ballot in November. Voters will choose whether the United States again leads on the world stage, or continues down the pariah’s path to total isolation and insecurity.