President Trump broke diplomatic norms in hopes of de-nuking North Korea. But the dealmaker in chief may have gotten played
FOR MORE THAN SIX DECADES, U.S. presidents had a hard and fast rule when it came to North Korea: Don’t meet with a dictator. The mere image of the leader of the free world standing with an authoritarian figure would bestow prestige and legitimacy on a rogue state—one that has flouted U.N. sanctions, assassinated political rivals and built a small nuclear arsenal.
Then, on June 12, Donald Trump burned the playbook. With full swagger, the president swept into steamy Singapore, where he sat down with Kim Jong Un in an unprecedented bid to get him to, as he put it, “de-nuke.” Afterward, Trump dismissed the idea that his presence alone had given the dictator something precious. “If I have to say I’m sitting on a stage with Chairman Kim, and that’s going to get us to save 30 million lives,” Trump said, “I’m willing to sit on the stage. I’m willing to travel to Singapore very proudly.”
As a candidate and now as president, there is nothing Trump likes more than being disruptive. North Korea, he reasoned, required such an approach. In his view, previous administrations had failed and then left him with a geopolitical mess. Indeed, outgoing President Barack Obama warned Trump that North Korea would be “the most urgent problem” he would face. “Thanks a lot for nothing, chief,” is how one National Security Council (NSC) staffer, who was not authorized to speak publicly, characterizes the Trump team’s reaction.
For nearly a year and a half, Trump blustered and threatened, and, for a moment, he even considered a pre-emptive first strike against the North. But he also got the U.N. to impose the toughest sanctions on the regime to date, and he got China, Pyongyang’s economic lifeline, to restrict its own trade with its neighbor. As a result, Trump had apparently captured North Korea’s attention in a way Obama never had.
This story is from the June 29 - July 06, 2018 Double issue edition of Newsweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 29 - July 06, 2018 Double issue edition of Newsweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The States Keeping Their Children Hungry
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer could help feed millions of children in households experiencing food insecurity, yet 13 states have declined to participate in the program
The Secret to Being an ADHD Whisperer
Loosening up and ceding control are some of the most important strategies for making life easier for a neurodiverse loved one
Fertility Clinics 2024
FOR THOSE LOOKING TO EXPAN D THEIR FAMILIES, FERTILITY CLINICS CAN BE A VITAL OPTION
'I AM ALWAYS IN THE MOMENT'
India's prime minister on his goals, his critics and his 'god-gifted' ability to listen
MODI'S MOMENT
INDIA'S LEADER is SHAPING the COUNTRY in his OWN ASSERTIVE IMAGE
Resurgence of Global Mayhem
While the world watches Gaza, ISIS is gaining strength and momentum, building networks and preparing for strikes worldwide
Is It Time to Leave Syria?
The U.S. is reportedly considering withdrawing from the country, with pressure from Damascus amid deepening unrest in the region. Is this the right move? Two experts weigh in
Chris Perfetti
IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS SINGING THE PRAISES of ABC's Abbott Elementary, fear not, they've heard you. \"We love to hear it,\" says Chris Perfetti, who plays Jacob Hill on the Emmy-winning sitcom about teachers at a Philadelphia public school.
Divine Intervention
POPE FRANCIS' PROGRESSIVE REPOSITIONING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS CREATED BATTLE LINES BETWEEN ITS 1.3 BILLION FOLLOWERS, NO MORE SO THAN IN THE UNITED STATES
Who Rules Gaza When the Fighting Stops?
With no clear leader coming to the fore, questions remain about how the devastated territory will be managed