I would speak to Kim Jong Un, I would have no problem speaking to him... And I'm telling you, I would get along with him. I would get along with a lot of the world leaders that this country is not getting along with.
Watch Trump's Historic Meeting
How They Responded: "Trump's Dangerous Diplomacy"
The New York Times"The president's belligerent threats against North Korea risk catastrophic miscalculation. No military solution exists that wouldn't risk millions of deaths."
U.S. Senate"We could be heading toward World War III with the kind of comments that Trump is making... He concerns me. He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation."
Center for American Progress"President Donald Trump is bucking this international consensus with his reckless and contradictory statements. This dynamic is both dangerous and counterproductive; it increases the risk of miscalculation on the Korean Peninsula and squanders an opportunity to press North Korea back into a diplomatic process."
The Evidence: Trump Was Right
Trump's unconventional approach to North Korea achieved unprecedented diplomatic breakthroughs and a significant reduction in tensions during his presidency.
Key Diplomatic Achievements:
- First-ever meeting between sitting U.S. President and North Korean leader (June 2018) Source: NPR
- North Korea suspended nuclear and long-range missile tests for over two years Source: Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs
- Three face-to-face meetings between Trump and Kim Jong Un Source: Axios
- Return of U.S. hostages and remains of U.S. soldiers from Korean War Source: Reuters
Official Confirmation:
Congressional Research Service Report 2020
"The Trump administration's combination of pressure and direct engagement led to the first-ever summit meetings between U.S. and North Korean leaders, a significant pause in North Korean nuclear and long-range missile testing, and the establishment of direct communication channels between the leaders."
View Full ReportThe Vindication: Historic Breakthrough Acknowledged
"It's President Trump who should receive the Nobel Prize. We only need to take peace." President of South Korea April 30, 2018 Source: NPR
Brookings Institution"President Donald Trump recklessly risked war over North Korea in 2017, but then appeared to make relatively good use of that scare by starting a negotiation process with Kim Jong-un the following two years."
BBC News"Most analysts clearly accept that the atmosphere has changed. Washington and Pyongyang have moved away from the rhetoric that appeared to be leading them inexorably towards war. For all intents and purposes Pyongyang's nuclear and missile testing seems to have been halted and joint US-South Korean exercises are suspended for the time being, again removing a source of tension that could spark renewed crisis."
National Review"I think it's more than fair to say that the combination of the president's unpredictability and indeed, his bellicosity had something to do with the North Koreans deciding to come to the table."
Final Analysis
Trump's North Korea strategy demonstrates how unconventional diplomatic approaches, when combined with strong pressure tactics, can achieve breakthroughs where traditional methods have failed.
Key elements that proved Trump right:
- Direct leader-to-leader diplomacy created unprecedented opportunities for dialogue
- Combination of maximum pressure and engagement led to concrete results
- Suspension of nuclear and missile tests during engagement period
- Return of U.S. hostages and soldiers' remains
While long-term denuclearization remains elusive, Trump's approach demonstrated that alternative diplomatic strategies could achieve concrete results where decades of conventional policy had failed.
