Trump takes questions on trade, North Korea

FAN Editor

President Trump hosted Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden on Tuesday where the two discussed their respective country’s ongoing efforts in opening dialogue with the North Korean regime as North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said he would be willing to start talks about ending the North’s nuclear weapons program.

Earlier Mr. Trump said the U.S. has made “progress” with regards to talks with the North Koreans and credited Sweden for aiding in the return of once-detained American student Otto Warmbier.

Warmbier, who was arrested on theft charges, died following his release from injuries he sustained while in North Korean captivity. Mr. Trump said the U.S. was “grateful” for Sweden’s ability to advocate on behalf of Americans in North Korea.

Lofven meanwhile stressed the importance of finding dialogue with the North Koreans, calling it a “very dangerous situation.”

When asked what he might owe the sudden sense of openness of North Korea to, the president joked, “Me.”

He added that the North Koreans appeared sincere in their efforts for talks due aggressive sanctions. He also credited the “great help we’ve been given from China.”

trump, lofven

President Trump (R) and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (L) shake hands during a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on Tue., March 6, 2018, in Washington, D.C. President Trump hosted Lofven for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, followed by the joint news conference.

Getty

While the two appeared in agreement on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, the leaders were at odds over Mr. Trump’s proposed steel and aluminum tariffs, a move Lofven considered a negative impact on the European Union.

“Increased tariffs will hurt us all in the long run…I of course support the efforts of the European Union to achieve trade with fewer obstacles,” said the prime minister.

Mr. Trump argued that the United States has been taken advantage of by “friendly and not-so-friendly countries” saying the EU has been particularly tough on the U.S.

He added, “If we’re able to make a deal with Canada and Mexico on NAFTA then there will be no reason to do the tariffs with Canada and Mexico.

Mr. Trump once again repeated his stance on potential trade wars over his proposed tariffs saying,”when we’re behind every single country, trade wars aren’t so bad.” He added, “The trade war hurts them it doesn’t hurt us.”

Lofven responded by saying it was “crucially important” to have free trade.

“I think its important for us to try to find a way to cooperate between the EU and the U.S.,” said Lofven.

The president has since insisted his policy, which could be rolled out this week, would not start a trade war with global allies, despite calling such trade wars “good” this past weekend.

Follow live updates of Trump and Lofven’s press conference below:

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