President Trump has directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel a trip to North Korea. The president cited the lack of progress in denuclearization negotiations.
According to The Daily Caller:
President Donald Trump canceled an upcoming scheduled visit from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to North Korea over lack of denuclearization progress.
I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
…Additionally, because of our much tougher Trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place)…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
…Secretary Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved. In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
Trump also blamed China for not being helpful in imposing sanctions on North Korea and affirmed his desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for another summit.
Trump met the North Korean leader for a summit in Singapore earlier this summer, where they affirmed a commitment to denuclearization.
The president’s tweet, however, reinforces open-source reports that North Korea has done little in the way of dismantling its nuclear program. Trump originally claimed victory after the summit, saying the threat from North Korea had been neutralized and tensions with the hermit kingdom have reduced significantly.
It looks like North Korea is not holding up their end of the deal. President Trump is trying to change that and hopefully, that is what is needed for progress to be made.
