Trump Should Meet South Korean President First, Not Kim Jong Un, Says Ex-Official

Fred Fleitz, a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and former chief of staff for the National Security Council under the Trump administration, has advised that U.S. President Donald Trump should prioritize a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung before engaging with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Fleitz argues that such a visit to Seoul would demonstrate Trump's commitment to the U.S.-South Korea alliance and his resolve to resume personal diplomacy with Pyongyang.

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President Trump's visit to South Korea could demonstrate his firm commitment to the U.S.-South Korea relationship and his determination to resume personal diplomacy with Chairman Kim.

Fleitz, a prominent figure in pro-Trump circles, suggested in an opinion piece for the conservative outlet 'American Greatness' that a presidential visit to South Korea could be strengthened by a speech to the National Assembly, similar to Trump's 2018 visit. He also recommended dispatching Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Seoul immediately to coordinate summit details with South Korea for a potential fall meeting with Kim Jong Un. Additionally, Fleitz proposed sending Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to address any remaining hurdles in trade and nuclear agreements signed by the leaders last year.

Addressing recent actions, Fleitz commented on Trump's directive to scale back joint U.S.-South Korea military drills and his dissatisfaction with South Korea's non-participation in a U.S.-led operation against Iran. Fleitz deemed Trump's frustration with allies' non-participation in military operations understandable but noted that the Lee Jae-myung administration has cooperated more actively than expected in trade and security, citing increased defense budgets, additional support for U.S. Forces Korea, and cooperation in shipbuilding.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo should be immediately dispatched to Seoul to coordinate the details of the North Korea-U.S. summit with South Korea this fall.

Fleitz characterized the reduction in joint military drills as a "small price to pay" to bring Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table, but cautioned against making concessions to North Korea beyond what is necessary. He also recommended Michael DeSombre, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, as a potential special envoy to handle North Korea issues if needed to lay the groundwork for a summit.

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The reduction in joint military exercises is a small price to pay to bring Chairman Kim to the summit, but we must ensure that concessions to North Korea do not go beyond what is necessary.