President Donald Trump’s announcement of his admiration and love for North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong Un was an unmitigated blunder.

We don’t know if Trump’s statement was hyperbole or true, but what is obvious is that it raised Kim’s expectations of besting us.

He obviously would take credit for the destruction of obsolete nuclear facilities and then get Trump to remove the sanctions without there first being a verifiable nuclear-free North Korea.

Congress would never agree to that, and North Korea will never give up its nuclear capabilities and delivery system. Trump is chasing a phantom agreement.

What might have been possible is a type of international agreement like that forged with Iran, from which Trump withdrew. It has been five years and it is working without us.

If we would ever negotiate with Kim again, what we will need is a skilled international negotiator with sound judgment and credibility. President Barack Obama had it; Trump does not.

Joseph Gedan

Round Top Drive

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