President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that dialogue is not the answer to the North Korean nuclear threat.
The Trump administration has been pursuing a policy of “maximum pressure and engagement,” which involves strong economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure to bring North Korea to the negotiating table.
Trump, however, signaled Wednesday that there is no point in talking to North Korea.
"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2017
Last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Aug. 22 that North Korea has been showing restraint, potentially creating a path to dialogue. The North launched three short-range ballistic missiles Saturday, and then fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean Tuesday.
It is unclear what Trump intends to do, but he has made it clear that “all options are on the table,” including the military option. Secretary of Defense James Mattis previously said that war in Korea would be “tragic on an unbelievable scale,” describing the conflict as “catastrophic.” He and other administration officials have repeatedly advocated for a diplomatic solution to the North Korea problem, but it appears the president’s patience has worn thin.
