Trump blames Kim’s meeting with Chinese president for change of heart on summit
DONALD TRUMP has pointed the finger at China for Kim Jong-un’s apparent change of heart over their face-to-face meeting as he attempted to bring North Korea back to the table.
In his fullest response to Pyongyang’s threat, the US president undermined his own national security adviser, saying the “Libya model” was not being used. Mr Trump also promised Kim “protections” if he agreed to meet in Singapore as originally planned – an olive branch to the North Korean leader.
The comments were made in the White House yesterday as Mr Trump was meeting Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general.
The US president was due to meet Kim in Singapore on June 12 to discuss denuclearisation but the North Koreans unexpectedly said this week they could pull out of the meeting.
Us-south Korean military drills, comments made by John Bolton, Mr Trump’s national security adviser; and demands for the regime to “unilaterally” give up its nuclear programme were all cited.
However. Mr Trump drew attention to Kim’s second meeting with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, earlier this month. The president said there was a “big difference” in North Korea’s position since the meeting and suggested that Mr Xi “could be influencing” Kim.
China has traditionally been North Korea’s closest ally and reportedly feared being alienated from talks as Mr Trump pushed ahead with his plan for a face-to-face meeting.
Mr Trump also dismissed Mr Bolton’s own suggestion last month that the “Libya model” from 2003 and 2004 would be used by America for talks with North Korea.
Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, was convinced to give up his nuclear programme at the time. But he was later toppled and killed in 2011.
North Korea singled out Mr Bolton and his Libya plan in a lengthy criticism of America’s position as they threatened to pull the plug. Mr Trump said yesterday that the Libya model led to “total decimation” and would not be used for his talks.
♦ Mr Trump yesterday marked the oneyear anniversary of the special counsel’s Russia investigation with a heated early morning tweetstorm, calling it “disgusting” and “illegal”. In a mocking message, he wrote: “Congratulations America, we are now into the second year of the greatest witch hunt in American history.”