Leaders of both Koreas learn that Trump listens well but keeps own counsel

by WorldTribune Staff, May 25, 2018

World leaders are finding that U.S. President Donald Trump is quite cordial when it comes to ceremony and photo ops, but “will ultimately not yield to global peer pressure when its aims contradict his interests,” an analyst noted.

President Donald Trump meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-In in the White House on May 22. / AP

“Committed but not stubborn, reasonable but not gullible, the global left appears to be struggling to find a successful strategy for manipulating Trump,” Frances Martel wrote for Breitbart on May 24.

On May 22, Trump hosted leftist South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the White House, where the South Korean leader told reporters that “the future of the Korean peninsula hinged on” Trump agreeing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Moon told the reporters that Trump had brought the world “one step closer to the dream of achieving complete denuclearization on the Korean peninsula and world peace.” Moon promised to “spare no efforts to the end to support this success of the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit, and stand with you all along the way Mr. President.”

Trump responded by asserting that denuclearization “must take place” and if the June 12 summit with Kim is postponed, “maybe it’ll happen later.”

Less than two days later, Trump canceled the summit.

“The scene is not an unfamiliar one to observers of this White House,” Martel noted. “Just a month ago, another world leader came knocking on the White House’s door with an agenda opposite Trump’s consistently expressed opinions. Like Moon, Trump regaled him with compliments and hospitality and listened intently to his argument that yet another rogue regime (Iran) deserved a chance.”

Trump “gave French President Emmanuel Macron a parade, a state dinner, a kiss, a chanceto state his case, and the exact opposite political result Macron was hoping for on his U.S. trip,” Martel wrote.

“Moon did not learn from Macron’s trip – stunning as even Macron himself toldreporters he believed he had failed before Trump announced his Iran deal decision – nor will he likely be the last world leader to make a similar attempt to personally convince Trump to act against America’s interests. Yet whoever is next to visit Trump with a plea to change his mind will have little room to claim he or she was not warned.”

Meanwhile, a senior North Korean official said on May 25 that Pyongyang is still willing to talk with the U.S.

“We would like to make known to the U.S. side once again that we have the intent to sit with the U.S. side to solve problem regardless of ways at any time,” Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-Gwan said in a statement carried by the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“We remain unchanged in our goal and will to do everything we could for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and humankind, and we, broad-minded and open all the time, have the willingness to offer the U.S. side time and opportunity,” he said.

Trump on May 25, left the door for talks with Kim Jong-Un open, welcoming the regime’s latest “productive” statement while saying the two sides are still talking.

“Very good news to receive the warm and productive statement from North Korea. We will soon see where it will lead, hopefully to long and enduring prosperity and peace. Only time (and talent) will tell!” Trump tweeted.

Trump also told reporters that “we’re talking to them now,” adding, “It could even be the 12th.”

“They very much want to do it, we want to do it, we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “Everybody plays games.”


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