In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 19 – Toasting the “potential” of the UN before beef tenderloin and chocolate mousse, U.S. President Donald Trump shared the head table of the Heads of State luncheon at the UN General Assembly with this South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, three hours after calling North Korea's Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man... on a suicidal path.” It was not a conventional UN speech. Then again, some were left wondering, what *is* the “wild rocket and baby red romaine lettuce” listed on the UN's luncheon menu? (It's an Anglophone version of arugula, with which Trump's predecessor Barack Obama had some history.)

Here's how Tuesday's menu began: “Wild Rocket & Baby Red Romaine Lettuce, Roasted Chanterelle Mushrooms, Haricot Verts, Grilled Stone Fruit.” One Inner City Press reader joked Kim should have been called Rocket Boy. Or, following the menu, Wild Rocket, or Baby Red Rocket.

At UN, there's still bitter buzz about “Rocket Man” speech, less on the ““wild rocket and baby red romaine lettuce” on menu pic.twitter.com/0Cmp7BeRCB

— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) September 19, 2017

Here's what Trump toasted: “As someone born in New York and raised in New York, it’s a great honor to have the United Nations in New York. It always has been. For years I’ve been a critic but I’m someone’s who’s said the United Nations has tremendous potential.There is no better forum... and certainly there can be no better location where everybody comes together…… but we can do better and we’re going to. The potential of the United Nations is unlimited, you’re going to do things that will be epic. I certainly hope you will. I feel very, very confident…toast to the potential, the great, great potential of the United Nations.” We'll see.

#UNGA lunch: PR Yelchelko pic.twitter.com/CBwmTqrH8a

— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) September 19, 2017

In the crowd were not only heads of state, but also ambassadors like Ukraine's Volodymyr Yelchenko, and UN system officials like not only USg Jeffrey Feltman but also Lassino Zerbo of CTBTO and Virginia Gamba, soon to recommended including the Saudi-led coalition in the UN Children and Armed Conflict annex - or not. Watch this site.

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Past (and future?) UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA
For now: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2017 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for