Trump calls summit cancellation a “tremendous setback”
Speaking from the White House, President Trump called the summit’s cancellation a “tremendous setback” for the North Koreans and the world alike. He held open the possibility that the cancelled summit might still take place at a later date.
“Nobody should be anxious, we have to get it right,” Mr. Trump said.
His message to Kim: “I am waiting”, adding that current economic sanctions and the administration’s maximum pressure campaign will continue. “I hope that Kim Jong Un will ultimately do what is right, not only for himself, but perhaps most importantly what’s right for his people, who are suffering greatly and needlessly,” the president said.
Mr. Trump noted that he had spoken to his military chiefs, including Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and suggested that the U.S. stands “ready if necessary.”
The president said that he had also spoken to officials in South Korea and Japan, where they communicated that they are ready should “foolish or reckless acts” be taken by North Korea in response to the summit’s cancellation. He said that the countries are also “willing to shoulder much of the cost of any financial burden and the costs associated by the U.S. in operations if such an unfortunate situation is forced upon us.”
“We are more ready than we have ever been before,” Mr. Trump said. When asked if calling off the meeting raised the risk of war, the president replied “Well, we’ll see what happens.”
