White House national security advisor John Bolton has on Sunday said the Hanoi summit between the US President Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-Un last week was “not a failure”, adding Trump was right not making any deal that wasn’t in the main interest of Washington.
According to The Washington Post, in an exclusive interview with Fox News on Sunday, Bolton said, “I don’t agree at all that it was a failed summit,” adding, “I think the obligation of the president of the United States is to defend and advance American national security interests. And I think he did that by rejecting a bad deal and by trying again to persuade Kim Jong-Un to take the big deal that really could make a difference for North Korea.”
@AmbJohnBolton discussing President Trump’s recent NOKO Summit #FNS
Check it out now! pic.twitter.com/JUKGAeKGw4— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) March 3, 2019
Last week, Trump abruptly cut short his summit with Kim after the two leaders were unable to reach any nuclear or sanction deal aimed at dismantling of Pyongyang’s Peninsula.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, last week, at a news conference, has suggested that it shouldn’t have taken long for Trump to recognize that Kim was not serious about complete denuclearization.
Pelosi said, “The prospect for success seemed dim in the light of the insincerity of Kim Jong-Un.”
But, Bolton had maintained that Trump was “not desperate for a deal — not with North Korea, not with anybody — if it’s contrary to American national interests”.
While attending CBS News’ “Face the Nation”, Bolton said there was “no expiration date” for nuclear dialogues with North Korea. He added, “The president is fully prepared to keep negotiating at lower levels or to speak to Kim Jong-Un again when it’s appropriate.”
Later on Sunday, Trump took it to twitter to defend his decision over military drills in South Korea and wrote: “The reason I do not want military drills with South Korea is to save hundreds of millions of dollars for the U.S. for which we are not reimbursed. That was my position long before I became President. Also, reducing tensions with North Korea at this time is a good thing!”
The reason I do not want military drills with South Korea is to save hundreds of millions of dollars for the U.S. for which we are not reimbursed. That was my position long before I became President. Also, reducing tensions with North Korea at this time is a good thing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2019