On May 28, 2018, ASPI Director of Political-Security Affairs Lindsey Ford spoke with CNN’s Brooke Baldwin about the Trump administration’s lack of strategy in approaching nuclear negotiations with North Korea.

Ford argues that President Trump has been treating the summit “like a photo-op,” and because other regional partners have greater clarity about their strategic goals, they have been “running circles around him.” His vacillating on whether the summit is on or off does little to gain “any ability to resolve the differences” between the U.S. and North Korea.

Ford stresses that President Trump has “strengthened the hand” of North Korea and China, while making “South Korea and Japan even more nervous than they already were.” Given that Kim’s main objective is winning “legitimacy on the world stage,” the administration has helped him by “offering him a platform to look like he’s on equal footing with the U.S.” (4 min. 37 sec.)

President Trump's approach to North Korea "undermines his own position". - @lindseywford on @CNN https://t.co/4zOwSZZcuX

— ASPI (@AsiaPolicy) May 30, 2018