North Korea

‘Our Relationship Remains Very Good, Excellent’

Written by SK Ashby

South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited the White House last week where he laid out the case for a third "summit" between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un but, at the time, Trump only vaguely agreed to another meeting.

Over the weekend, Trump personally made the case for another meeting and his enthusiasm didn't even require another love letter from Kim Jong-un.

“I agree with Kim Jong Un of North Korea that our personal relationship remains very good, perhaps the term excellent would be even more accurate,” Trump said Saturday in a tweet. “A third Summit would be good in that we fully understand where we each stand.”

Trump said he looked forward to a day, “which could be soon, when Nuclear Weapons and Sanctions can be removed, and then watching North Korea become one of the most successful nations of the World!”

When Trump says they "fully understand" each other, that presumably means the White House knows Kim Jong-un won't agree to even partially disarm unless the White House lifts economic sanctions first.

If that's the case, I don't know what the point of another meeting is. Trump may be leaving himself room to cave even further than he already has by canceling joint military exercises with South Korea and agreeing to meet Kim Jong-un in the first place.

I may have the wrong impression, but don't think the American public is particularly impressed or even interested in Trump's handling of Kim Jong-un at this point. That doesn't mean it's not important or worth discussing, but if Trump is just fishing for good press, I think he'll be as disappointed as he was with the results of his second summit.