Donald Trump told reporters that North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un sent him a “beautiful letter” after Kim launched two short-range ballistic missiles in the midst of joint military exercises with the U.S. and South Korea.
In a letter to me sent by Kim Jong Un, he stated, very nicely, that he would like to meet and start negotiations as soon as the joint U.S./South Korea joint exercise are over. It was a long letter, much of it complaining about the ridiculous and expensive exercises. It was…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2019
….also a small apology for testing the short range missiles, and that this testing would stop when the exercises end. I look forward to seeing Kim Jong Un in the not too distant future! A nuclear free North Korea will lead to one of the most successful countries in the world!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2019
Addressing media at the White House, Trump said he received a “three-paged” “very beautiful letter” from Kim on Thursday (local time). He also said he and Kim would hold another meeting, without mentioning the possible date and location, Xinhua news agency reported.
Denuclearisation negotiations between the US and North Korea have been stalled since the second summit between Trump and Kim ended without reaching an agreement in February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. At the end of June, Trump and Kim met at the inter-Korean border, and the two leaders agreed to set up teams to resume working-level negotiations in weeks, but to no avail.
I’m very glad that our president received a “beautiful letter” from the violent maniac Kim, but agreeing with the North Korean leader’s characterization of the joint military exercises as “ridiculous and expensive” might upset a few Pentagon officials who place great value on drilling with an ally who may face an onslaught at any time.
Meanwhile, Trump’s critics let him have it:
It is sad, scary, pathetic to see the US President reduced to a toy of the Stalinist North Korea dictator. Worst. Negotiator. Ever.
— David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) August 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/Politicalypto/status/1160166888573419526
— Louise (@clwtweet) August 10, 2019
Why does Trump coddle this nutcase in Pyongyang who’s almost as unstable as the president himself? As a strategy to placate Kim and get him to sign off on denuclearization, it’s obviously failing. The two sides are light years apart on even negotiating a freeze, much less a ban on all nukes on the peninsula. Something else must be happening.
About the only thing that comes to mind is that Kim has agreed to build a Trump hotel and casino in Pyongyang after Trump leaves office. Otherwise, praising a leader who flouts international law with his missile launches and criticizing your own military is just plain balmy.
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