Democratic strategist Kevin Chavous on Thursday criticized President Trump over his relationship with North Korea, saying the president “validated” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by sitting down with him for nuclear disarmament talks.
“More than anything Trump sitting down with him validated him, gave him the ability to project himself as on the same level as the American president,” Chavous, a managing partner at The Chavous Group, told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton during a panel discussion on “Rising”
President Trump and Kim have attended two summits together in an attempt to reach a denuclearization agreement. The first one was in Singapore in 2018 and the other one took place earlier this year but was abruptly cut short with no deal in place.
But Chavous said Trump’s meeting with the North Korean leader won’t address the country’s nuclear ambitions.
“It won’t stop him from trying to develop a nuclear weapon, which is what they’re continuing to do so I’m just not surprised at all,” he said, referring to recent reports that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile.
South Korea’s military reportedly said Thursday that North Korea fired an projectile in an easterly direction from the northwestern town of Sino-ri.
According to Reuters, it is believed to have traveled about 260 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan, the news organization reported, citing a South Korean official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
This marks the second test firing in less than a week.
North Korea on Saturday fired multiple short-range projectiles off its east coast, which were believed to have flown up to 125 miles.
Kim, who oversaw the rocket test, later downplayed the launch, calling the move “regular and self-defensive.”
Trump, meanwhile, remains confident that the U.S. and North Korea will be able to reach a deal.
“Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it,” Trump tweeted shortly after reports surfaced of Saturday’s missile launch.
—Tess Bonn
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