N. Korea won’t get best of Trump, U.S. officials say

WASHINGTON — Administration officials expressed confidence Sunday that President Donald Trump would not be taken advantage of by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un before and during any direct talks.

Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to meet with a North Korean leader if he follows through on the decision Thursday to accept Kim’s invitation.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said on “Fox News Sunday” that Trump “isn’t doing this for theater.”

“He’s going to solve a problem,” Pompeo said. He also insisted that Kim be prepared to talk about “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization” if the meeting is to be held.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin also sought to deflect any suggestion that Trump would soften the U.S. stance toward North Korea before the talks.

“We’re not removing the maximum-pressure campaign,” Mnuchin said on NBC’S “Meet the Press.” “The sanctions are staying on,” and the United States will proceed with military exercises in the region as scheduled, he said.

Trump, Mnuchin said , simply planned to “sit down and see if he can cut a deal.”

Trump, in a speech Saturday night in Pennsylvania, indicated he saw few pitfalls even if the talks fail.

“I think we will have tremendous success,” he said, describing prospective denuclearization as “the greatest deal for the world.” But he also raised the possibility that he may “leave fast” if conditions are not ripe.

White House spokesman Raj Shah, appearing on ABC’S “This Week,” reiterated Washington’s expectation that North Korea would not engage in nuclear or missile testing in advance of any talks.

North Korean officials have not verified any of the details about their offer to meet or any conditions. All messages have been relayed through South Korea.