Even within pro-Trump circles in the United States, critical views are emerging about President Donald Trump's push to resume talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The concern is that with North Korea's nuclear capabilities now more advanced and Washington's negotiating leverage weaker than in 2018, any deal could amount to tacitly tolerating the North's possession of nuclear weapons.
Fox News, which leans pro-Trump, reported on the 23rd local time that Trump faces a North Korea with far less incentive to negotiate than during his first term. Unlike Iran, Fox said, North Korea already possesses mature nuclear weapons and a range of delivery systems, leaving Trump with almost no option to eliminate the threat militarily and narrowing the path to an agreement compared with eight years ago.
Fox News listed the bargaining chips available to the United States at this stage as phased sanctions relief, a reduction in South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises or in the force posture of U.S. troops in South Korea, and a peace treaty. The outlet also warned that if a deal left North Korea's nuclear weapons in place, the North Korean regime could interpret it as de facto recognition as a nuclear weapons state.
The view that cooperation with South Korea should not be neglected for a successful U.S.-North Korea summit also came from pro-Trump circles. Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and considered a close associate of Trump, wrote in an op-ed for the U.S. conservative outlet American Greatness on the 21st local time that South Korea is part of the network of security alliances Trump should use to counter threats from China, Russia and North Korea in the Indo-Pacific. Trump should hold a summit with President Lee Jae-myung before meeting Kim, Fleitz argued, and should preferably visit Seoul.
On Trump's sharp reduction of South Korea-U.S. joint exercises to pave the way for dialogue with the North, Fleitz said the price would be minimal if it could draw Kim Jong-un to talks. But he stressed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio should ensure the concession is closely coordinated with South Korea and does not go beyond what is needed to bring Kim to the negotiating table.
