Trump to top U.S. diplomat: Don't bother talking to North Korea

[webfact]

Trump to top U.S. diplomat: Don't bother talking to North Korea

By Doina Chiacu and Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump points to Marine One as he departs for Bedminster, New Jersey, from the White House in Washington, U.S., September 29, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he told the top U.S. diplomat not to waste his time trying to negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

 

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim.

 

Trump's comment came the day after Tillerson disclosed that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue.

 

"Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump said.

 

Tillerson said during a trip to China on Saturday that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang, the first such disclosure from the Trump administration, and that it was probing North Korea to see whether it is interested in dialogue.

 

Tillerson expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

 

"We are probing, so stay tuned," Tillerson told a small group of reporters during a trip to China. "We ask: 'Would you like to talk?'" He said the United States had "a couple of, three channels open to Pyongyang."

 

A senior U.S. official, asked for clarification about Trump's Sunday morning tweets about North Korea, played down the significance of the communication channels.

 

"At a time when North Korea is continuing its provocations, the president does not think now is the time to negotiate with them," the official said.

 

The official also said that to the extent that diplomatic channels exist between Washington and Pyongyang, they are aimed at securing the return of Americans detained by North Korea.

 

Trump has vacillated between direct personal attacks on the North Korean leader and a willingness to negotiate. After announcing new U.S. sanctions last month on North Korea, he also acknowledged diplomacy was still possible, asking: "Why not?"

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Steve Holland; Editing by Paul Simao and Lisa Von Ahn)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-02

[quadperfect]

Reminds me of this place no one talks to the higher ups before making suck important statements.  Not a typical thing in the usa, but with trump at the helm its a crap shoot. Rex will be the next to go.

[craigt3365]

Trump is a sick man.

[boomerangutang]

When very bad things ensue at Korea, and surrounding regions, we won't only blame Trump.  He's just the head of the Dangerous Dufus Club.    We can blame all the idiots who voted for him, and all those Republicans in DC who enable him to continue his America-destroying ways.

[Emster23]

"Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump said.

Must be a stronger descriptor than "clueless, dangerous idiot"

[BuaBS]

6 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

When very bad things ensue at Korea, and surrounding regions, we won't only blame Trump.  He's just the head of the Dangerous Dufus Club.    We can blame all the idiots who voted for him, and all those Republicans in DC who enable him to continue his America-destroying ways.

No , it's the US deep state , the MIC behind Trump pushing him for a war.

[NanLaew]

Don't worry. I am pretty sure that DT's eratic and unpredictable actions since he landed the job has been taken onboard by the custodians of the the 'football' and any launch codes.

 

"Can I take the 'football' to bed tonight to show Melania?"

 

"No, sir."

 

"Awww. come on. I'm POTUS, you can't deny me that?"

 

"Yes sir, I can."

 

"You're fired!"

 

"OK, OK... you can have it. But just tonight, OK? And I'm taking the batteries out."

[Tracyb]

12 minutes ago, car720 said:

 

I would have preferred the word...............Evil.

 

deranged, incompetent, narcissistic, megalomaniacal, racist, fascist, and moron also come to mind. 

[scorecard]

17 minutes ago, Tracyb said:

 

deranged, incompetent, narcissistic, megalomaniacal, racist, fascist, and moron also come to mind. 

 

 

add ... dangerous...

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump said.

Tillerson: "I agree with you but I don't have the power to remove you from office."

[dunroaming]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim.

 

When you have a complete moron tweeting things like that then what hope is there for the USA.  

[craigt3365]

54 minutes ago, farq said:

 

Absolutely NONE! But then again, he is only the latest in a long line of retards that have been steering the US down the sewer for decades!!

Back trolling again?  Please go away.

[farq]

13 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Back trolling again?  Please go away.

 

You Yanks can't deal with the facts! That's why that third world banana republic is as bad as it is! Your American exceptionalism is a farce.

It is you who needs to go away!

[craigt3365]

1 minute ago, farq said:

 

You Yanks can't deal with the facts! That's why that third world banana republic is as bad as it is! Your American exceptionalism is a farce.

It is you who needs to go away!

Extremely intelligent reply.

[farq]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

Extremely intelligent reply.

 

A great deal better than some of yours with their self righteous indignation.

 

[craigt3365]

22 minutes ago, farq said:

 

A great deal better than some of yours with their self righteous indignation.

 

Where was that?

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.  

[tonbridgebrit]

I really do hope that Mr Trump was just joking when he said this. Washington has got to talk with Kim and North Korea. Talking is massively important. Without talking, that's when there is danger of an attack on North Korea.

[Kelsall]

Good cop, bad cop.  Nothing more.

[craigt3365]

43 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Good cop, bad cop.  Nothing more.

Could be.  But in this case, it's not a good tactic.

[inThailand]

How many decades of talking to NK have proven to be a waste of time?

 

Does anyone believe talking or any negotiations that he would agree too that he can be trusted to adhere too?

DT's comment is not a dig to T, just the reality of the situation.

[craigt3365]

7 minutes ago, inThailand said:

How many decades of talking to NK have proven to be a waste of time?

 

Considering where we are today.  Every decade was a waste of time.  Other nations have seen the light and either given up their nuclear arsenals or stopped development.  Only NK defies the world community.  A disaster waiting to happen.

 

Here's one country that did and is relatively successful today.  South Africa.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction

Quote

From the 1960s to the 1980s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear,[2] biological, and chemical weapons. Six nuclear weapons were assembled.[3] Before the anticipated changeover to a majority-elected African National Congress government in the 1990s, the South African government dismantled all of its nuclear weapons, the first nation in the world which voluntarily gave up all nuclear arms it had developed itself.

 

Seems democracy was the key?