President Trump continues mocking and taunting the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, telling the U. S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, on Sunday not to put effort into negotiating with Kim. The President tweeted that he has informed Tillerson that it is a waste of time trying to negotiate “with Little Rocket Man,” National Public Radio (NPR) reported. Trump further tweeted to Tillerson, “Save your energy, Rex.” He stated that the U.S. will “do what has to be done!”
The president comes across as ruling out the potential of a diplomatic resolution with Kim.
Trump’s tweets convey that his idea involves the U.S. military, the New York Times noted. Dismissing the notion of establishing dialogue as a viable option to threats of a nuclear confrontation comes only a day after Tillerson stated that he was striving for a diplomatic resolution with Pyongyang.
President ‘bad cop,’ Tillerson ‘good cop’ strategy on nuclear arms negotiations
Sue Mi Terry is a former Korean analyst for the CIA and National Security Council. She said President Trump’s strategy could be rooted in a good-cop versus bad-cop approach. Still, she assessed, Trump’s tweet as “so over the top that it undercuts Tillerson. Terry stated that it’s difficult for her to imagine “any other president speaking in this manner,” according to the Times.
Michael Green was Senior Advisor to the Office of Asia Pacific Affairs under President George W. Bush. Green differed with Terry’s observation of the president. He believes President Trump is “right on” in the respect that Pyongyang will not waver when it comes to putting nuclear arms up for negotiation, according to the Times.
Green also noted that the present level of sanctions against North Korea is also unlikely to persuade Pyongyang at this time.
Tillerson ‘frustrated’ with President Trump’s blasts online over negotiating nuclear weapons
Tillerson is reportedly frustrated, NPR noted. He informed associates that he attempts to ignore President Trump’s blasts on Twitter.
Tillerson would be hard-pressed to disregard Trump’s most recent round, as Tillerson endeavored to enlist increased support from China, which is North Korea’s principal political patron and trading partner, according to NPR.
Kim also has not offered indications that he has any interest in negotiating when it comes to the topic of nuclear weapons. The North Korean leader has been engaged in saber rattling and name-calling as well. He referred to Trump as a “U.S. dotard” and “mentally deranged,” the Times stated. Kim has also reportedly intimated, via his foreign minister, that he may approve an atmospheric nuclear test, which would the first of its kind that has happened anywhere in the world for 37 years.
White House makes no official statement on President Trump, Tillerson contradictory comments
No one at the White House has commented officially on either Trump’s or Tillerson’s recent remarks. Privately, however, President Trump has expressed his displeasure toward Tillerson’s comments, catching him off guard, according to his advisers and the Times. His advisers, however, did not rule ou diplomacy in the future. The president has plans to travel to Japan, China, and South Korea in November. The idea behind his visit to Asian destinations is to retain regional pressure on North Korea.
Republican Senator Bob Corker (TN) is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He stated that the U.S.
hasn’t another choice and has to work toward a diplomatic agreement with North Korea. Corker explained that he believes Tillerson has the same understanding as all U.S. intelligence agencies. That understanding, he said, is that “no amount of economic pressure” placed on North Korea will motivate the country to cease its nuclear weapons program,” the Times cited. Kim and Pyongyang “view it as their survival.”
