By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-22 02:31:46 | Updated at 2025-01-24 14:34:30
2 days ago
In a move that could redefine decades of US foreign policy, President Donald Trump casually referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” during an impromptu Oval Office exchange with reporters just hours after his inauguration.
The offhand remark has analysts scrambling to decipher whether it marks the start of a dramatic policy reversal – or a return to Trump’s brand of personal diplomacy.
“He liked me. I liked him. We got along very well,” Trump said of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un. “He is a nuclear power. We got along. I think he will be happy to see me coming back.”
Trump’s comments on Monday ignited debate among analysts, with some interpreting them as a signal of renewed diplomatic overtures, while others warned of the dangers such rhetoric poses to regional stability and America’s alliance with South Korea.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, cautioned against interpreting Trump’s remarks as a nuanced diplomatic approach.
