Officially, NKorea still a nuclear threat

WASHINGTON — The gulf between President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and a thorny geopolitical reality widened a bit further Friday — the White House said it would extend a decade-old executive order declaring a national emergency over the nuclear threat from North Korea.

The announcement came days after Trump declared to the world that ‘‘everybody can now feel much safer’’ after his meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. ‘‘There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea,’’ Trump said on Twitter. Apparently, there still is. ‘‘The existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the government of North Korea continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States,’’ read the notice, delivered through the press secretary Friday.

The national emergency regarding North Korea has been in place since 2008, spanning three presidencies. Analysts who study the country say it would be premature to declare progress on denuclearization until it happens.

Pointing this out can incur the wrath of the president. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader, said the summit with Kim had been flimsy.

‘‘The summit was more show than substance, what the Texans call ‘all cattle, no hat,’’’ Schumer said, confusing the expression.

The crack earned Schumer a public rebuke from the presidential Twitter account.

‘‘Thank you Chuck, but are you sure you got that right?’’ Trump wrote. ‘‘No more nuclear testing or rockets flying all over the place, blew up launch sites. Hostages already back, hero remains coming home & much more!’’