Biden campaign: Trump coddling dictators at the expense of U.S. national security, interests

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign joined the growing pushback from 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to President Trump’s Sunday meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“President Trump’s coddling of dictators at the expense of American national security and interests is one of the most dangerous ways he’s diminishing us on the world stage and subverting our values as a nation,” Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. 

Bates added that Trump has made “numerous concessions for negligible gain,” during meetings with North Korea. {mosads}

Trump on Sunday became the first sitting U.S. president to cross into North Korea. He later announced the resumption of stalled nuclear talks with Pyongyang.

Democrats, including many of Biden’s challengers in the presidential primary, have labeled Trump’s visit a mere photo opportunity. 

NEW: @JoeBiden campaign statement on @realDonaldTrump‘s “coddling of dictators at the expense of American national security and interests,” including fawning over Kim Jong-un and joking “with Vladimir Putin about our election security and ‘getting rid’ of journalists.” pic.twitter.com/nTRIYx7aSz

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) June 30, 2019

Biden’s campaign also called out Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the presidents shared in a joke about “fake news”  journalists. 

Russian journalists have turned up dead over the years in Russia, a country that ranks low in terms of press freedom, according to the World Press Freedom Index. 

“His conduct reinforces that we urgently need a president who can restore our standing in the world, heal relationships with key allies Trump has alienated, and deliver real change for the American people,” Bates said.