Trump just send North Korea’s Kim Jong Un an unmistakable warning not to disappoint “his friend, President Trump”:
Kim Jong Un and North Korea tested 3 short range missiles over the last number of days. These missiles tests are not a violation of our signed Singapore agreement, nor was there discussion of short range missiles when we shook hands. There may be a United Nations violation, but..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019
…..Chairman Kim does not want to disappoint me with a violation of trust, there is far too much for North Korea to gain – the potential as a Country, under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, is unlimited. Also, there is far too much to lose. I may be wrong, but I believe that……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019
….Chariman Kim has a great and beautiful vision for his country, and only the United States, with me as President, can make that vision come true. He will do the right thing because he is far too smart not to, and he does not want to disappoint his friend, President Trump!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2019
I think Trump realizes that while Kim didn’t violate any agreements he made with Trump, he’s not far from doing it. After all, one missile test occurred while Bolton was in South Korea.
Trump is trying to rein him in before things escalate even further, which is why Trump made those statements about Kim having a “beautiful vision”. While it makes me and you cringe to hear that, we know this is how Trump chooses to negotiate, especially when dealing with megalomaniacs like Kim.
Will this warning work? I seriously doubt it. The only thing Trump has accomplished with Kim thus far is to keep him quiet, and even that appears to be changing. Given Kim’s unwillingness to denuclearize and his unhappiness with negotiations, I think it’s only a matter of time before he starts launching ballistic missiles again.