The Story Behind the Truman Quote in President Trump's U.N. Speech

In his first speech as President at the U.N. General Assembly, Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed support for the organization by quoting one of his predecessors who was among the institution's earliest supporters: President Harry S. Truman, who was a signer of the charter that established the U.N.

In discussing how the U.S. helped restore post-World War II Europe by providing support through the Marshall Plan, President Trump called on member states to "embrace their sovereignty" in the interest of the group. "Our support of European recovery is in full accord with our support of the United Nations," Trump quoted Truman as saying. "The success of the United Nations depends upon the independent strength of its members."

The speech from which Trump took those lines was Truman's special message to Congress on Dec. 19, 1947, in which he asked Congress to pass legislation to fund the plan. Truman argued that for the U.S. to be great, Europe must be, too. "Considered in terms of our own economy, European recovery is essential," he said, noting the U.S. would have to provide most of the funding necessary for the program to work.