What Had Trump Said About Scaling Back The Drill?
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump expressed unhappiness with the U.S. military’s participation in joint exercises with South Korea. In the post, Trump touted his “very good relationship with Kim Jong Un” and complained about the high costs of these exercises. He also echoed Pyongyang’s sentiment, saying these drills were sending a signal that is “totally inappropriate and hostile,” and argued that North Korea has been “unthreatening and respectful” to the U.S. during his presidency. The president said it was too late to scrap the exercises but said he has ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” them. While insisting it was “unrelated,” Trump also used the post to take a jab at the South Korean president’s purported refusal to support him in the Iran war.
Read more Trump Pauses New 50% Tariffs On Canada Claiming Last-Minute Deal
What We Know About Trump’s Push To Meet Kim?
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday evening that Trump is pushing the White House to arrange a meeting with Kim sometime this fall. The report notes that he wants to continue efforts made during the first term to convince the North Korean leader to give up his nuclear arsenal—something Kim has repeatedly said he will not do. While no plan has been set in motion, the report notes that Trump has told aides he wants to meet the North Korean leader in person on his next trip to Asia, expected in November. Speaking at the annual gathering of his Workers’ Party in February, Kim Jong Un said there was no reason North Korea “cannot get on well with the U.S.” But he added that such a thing would happen only if Washington respected North Korea’s status as a nuclear power and gave up efforts to denuclearize his country.
Read more Debbie Wasserman Schultz Wins In Florida Primary For Heavily Black District
further reading
Trump Scales Back Korea Military Drill Touting ‘Good Relationship’ With Kim Jong Un—Seoul Responds (Forbes)
Read more NASA Shares Before-And-After Photos Of Moon Crater Made By SpaceX Rocket