Trump Contradicts Bolton on North Korea, Says He’s Confident in Kim

Trump insists recent North Korea missile tests don't bother him

While John Bolton continues to play up growing US hostility anywhere and everywhere, President Trump appeared to very directly contradict him on North Korea, just days after Bolton declared that Trump is determined to crack down on North Korea after recent missile tests.

Trump, however, downplayed the missile tests, saying the tests “disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me.” Trump insisted that they were “small weapons” and he continues to have confidence in Kim Jong Un.

Trump defended Kim, saying he has every confidence that Kim will deliver on his promises, and that he “smiled” when Kim “called Swampman Joe Bidan (sic) a low IQ individual, & worse.”

Trump has tended to downplay potential roadblocks with North Korea, and reiterate his confidence that the two leaders get along so well they’ll likely be able to make a deal. At the same time, North Korea has been urging the US to take a new approach, and there is no sign that Trump is doing that, or even recognizing the urging has happened.

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.