Tillerson: US Wants Dialogue With North Korea, Not Regime Change

Comments Appear to Be Dramatic Split From Trump's Stance

Taking positions seemingly opposite to President Trump’s on every point, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed North Korea at a policy briefing today, saying that the US is not North Korea’s enemy, and that they seek dialogue with the North Korean government.

Tillerson also said the US does not blame China for the lack of progress so far, despite President Trump literally blaming China mere days ago, complaining that China was “doing nothing” to help the US.

Tillerson’s comments were contrary to Trump’s on several other marks, of course, as only yesterday Ambassador Haley declared the “time for talk is over,” and President Trump has repeatedly condemned the concept of diplomacy with North Korea as a failed policy of the past.

Tillerson has over the past several days not made many public statements, but today appeared to be unusually willing to stake out foreign policy positions, not just on North Korea but on Iran as well, directly contrary to what the president has said.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.