Bolton: Trump Could Pursue Pyongyang Summit With Kim Jong Un

John Bolton says Donald Trump may be preparing to take the next step in his summit diplomacy with Kim Jong Un: a visit to Pyongyang. Speaking at an online discussion hosted by the Institute of Corean American Studies in Washington, Bolton said only one stage remained after Trump's previous meetings with the North Korean leader.

“Trump became the first U.S. president to meet the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018, and the first to enter North Korean territory during the 2019 meeting at the DMZ,” Bolton said. “There is only one step left. That is for Trump to visit Pyongyang.”

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Trump became the first U.S. president to meet the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018, and the first to enter North Korean territory during the 2019 meeting at the DMZ. There is only one step left. That is for Trump to visit Pyongyang.

Bolton argued that Trump would be drawn to the summit because he needed a dramatic image that could capture attention and divert focus from difficult issues at home and abroad. He said Trump might turn toward diplomacy if domestic politics became more difficult after the November midterm elections. Bolton also recalled that Trump offered Kim a ride to Pyongyang aboard Air Force One during the 2018 Singapore summit, saying the main purpose of a visit would be its propaganda effect.

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I am very skeptical that we could get anything from Kim Jong Un.

“I am very skeptical that we could get anything from Kim Jong Un,” Bolton said, while arguing that North Korea would have carefully calculated what it could gain. He said discussions could already be taking place to determine whether a summit could become reality. Bolton also criticized Trump's emphasis on personal relationships with leaders and his tendency to discount policy coordination among advisers, citing instructions to reduce the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise and Trump's 2018 decision to announce a suspension of joint exercises after Kim objected.

Bolton further warned that North Korea, having gained battlefield and drone-warfare experience through its deployment in the war in Ukraine, could use a limited military provocation to test Washington's commitment to South Korea. He cited the possibility of occupying several islands south of the Northern Limit Line. Former acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun said Trump viewed the North Korea issue as unfinished business from his first term. Yun said Kim had little reason to seek talks after the failure of the Hanoi summit and improved external conditions for North Korea, but added, “If I were Kim Jong Un, I would say, ‘All right. Let’s meet.’” He put the chances of meaningful results at “very low.”

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If I were Kim Jong Un, I would say, ‘All right. Let’s meet.’