US President Donald Trump has said he is open to inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the White House if the two make headway at next week’s summit, The Washington Post reported.
“Certainly, if it goes well. I think it would be well received,” said Trump, responding to a reporter’s question at a press conference in Washington yesterday.
During a joint press conference with Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, Trump appeared guardedly optimistic, saying he expects the meeting with Kim “fruitful,” but also indicated that success at the summit was far from a sure thing.
According to The Washington Post, Trump said that he is “totally prepared to walk away,” noting that he had done so before. He added that he is prepared to ramp up sanctions on Noth Korea if the meeting goes awry.
While the president’s tone on the upcoming negotiations with Kim was cautious, he seemed confident that – if the White House invitation should eventually come to pass – Kim would probably say yes.
“I think he would look at it very favorably,” said Trump. “So, I think that could happen.”
Sources familiar with the upcoming summit indicated US officials have already laid the groundwork for Trump and Kim to carry on their meetings for a second day should they want to continue their discussions. They might even make time for a round of golf.
"I think I'm very well prepared. I don’t think I have to prepare very much. It’s about attitude.”
Trump is talking about a nuclear weapons summit like he's someone who doesn't feel like stretching before a workout. pic.twitter.com/uCbgOniBus
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) June 7, 2018
List of demands
Seven prominent members of the US Democratic Party sent a letter to President Trump earlier this week, threatening to oppose any deal with North Korea that lifts sanctions without meet their conditions, including total denuclearization and submitting to “anywhere, anytime” compliance inspections.
“We want to make sure the president’s desire for a deal with North Korea doesn’t saddle the United States, [South] Korea and Japan with a bad deal,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said at a press conference Monday, per Washington Post.
But Republican Party sympathizers say that Schumer, one of the president’s most outspoken political opponents, is just playing politics by trying to tie Trump’s hands at the Singapore summit.
“They seem more concerned with undermining him than supporting a peace process with North Korea,” said Nicholas Kristof in yesterday’s op-ed in The New York Times.
Kristof says that Schumer and his colleagues’ demands are so ambitious that it is “almost unimaginable” that North Korea would accept them. As a result, he says, no possible deal will make them happy.
While Trump has a history of refusing to be reined in, he may have to concede to Democrats’ demands this time. Lifting US sanctions against North Korea would require a majority vote in the Senate, where Democrats make up about 47 percent.
And any deal that does not include sanction relief for North Korea, will probably mean no deal at all.
