In response to critics saying that the US has given too much to North Korea while getting almost nothing in return, President Trump has used his favorite platform to fire back at them.
Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Sunday Today” said that so far it seems that Kim Jong Un is getting everything he wants from Mr. Trump, without giving up anything substantial in return. This has irked Mr’ President somewhat and he didn’t fail to take a shot at both Todd and NBC: “Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing.”
While stating that the talks are a positive development, Todd pointed out that the US has failed to negotiate the release of Americans held in North Korean prisons and lack of denuclearization pledge from Kim Jong Un. President Trump has tweeted that North Korea has offered to stop nuclear and ballistic tests and even close its test site.
“Wow, we haven’t given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!” President tweeted on April 22nd. However, the official statement from Kim Jong Un doesn’t mention his current nuclear arsenal.
“Under the proven condition of complete nuclear weapons, we no longer need any nuclear tests, mid-range, and intercontinental ballistic rocket tests, and that the nuclear test site in northern area has also completed its mission,” said Kim in a statement to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA.
Some experts say that this is North Korean’s leader way of saying that he sees his country as a member of the nuclear club and has no intention of denuclearization, something that has always been a stated goal of the American diplomacy.
“They’re not giving anything up, they’re keeping (their weapons), and that’s the message,” he said. “It was wrapped in this seeming concession, but it’s not really a concession. (If) they can decide to test after all, they can just start doing it again.” said Josh Pollack, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
Even Republicans don’t seem thrilled over Kim’s proposal. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) said that this is a public relations move by Kim and that both Congress and the administration are skeptic and cautious about it.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway has taken the opportunity to pressure Congress into confirming new Mr. Trump’s nominee for the secretary of state, saying that he “needs his new secretary of state confirmed so the chief diplomat can go back over to North Korea and elsewhere to sit down and try to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, which is in everybody’s interest.”
In the meantime, President continues to use his personal Twitter account to fire at everyone who criticizes him: “Funny how all of the Pundits that couldn’t come close to making a deal on North Korea are now all over the place telling me how to make a deal!” he tweeted.
Source: edition.cnn.com
