Franken: Trump might be ‘gullible’ on China

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said on Tuesday that President Trump might have been “gullible” to think that he could pressure China to effectively rein in North Korea.

“The president might be gullible when it comes to China,” Franken told NBC News’s Katy Tur. “Might be.”

The comment came shortly after Trump tweeted that China’s efforts to crack down on Pyongyang have “not worked out,” but said that Beijing had tried to help address North Korea’s aggression. 

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As a presidential candidate and in his first months in office, Trump sought to recruit the help of China in reining in North Korea’s nuclear and weapons programs. 

But tensions have escalated between Washington and Pyongyang in recent months amid a series of fast-paced missile tests.

The death of American Otto Warmbier on Monday could also fuel tensions between the two countries. Warmbier returned to the U.S. last week after being imprisoned for 17 months in North Korea, but was revealed to be in a coma shortly after news of his release emerged.

Doctors in Cincinnati said last week that Warmbier had suffered significant brain damage. His death was announced on Monday.