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Trump says ‘no reason’ for costly war games with South Korea, blames China for stalemate with North
US President Donald Trump has blamed Beijing for the lack of progress on North Korea’s denuclearization, saying China has put North Korea “under tremendous pressure” in response to a trade war Trump had started in the first place.
The White House statement, posted by Trump in a string of tweets, says that the US President “feels strongly” that Pyongyang has been a subject of “tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government.”
Trump went on to allege that Beijing continues to provide various types of assistance to the North, including supplying fuel, fertilizer and “various other commodities” thus effectively undermining the US policy of “maximum pressure.”
Despite the White House’s failure to reach any substantial progress in implementing the loosely worded agreement between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Trump, reached at the bilateral summit in June, the statement stresses that Trump believes his relationship with Kim is a “very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games.”
STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018
...considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful! Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018
...of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before. As for the U.S.–China trade disputes, and other...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018
...differences, they will be resolved in time by President Trump and China’s great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018
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