Trump Tweaks NBC’s Chuck Todd Again, Defends His North Korea Stance
April 22, 2018
Trump Tweaks NBC’s Chuck Todd Again, Defends His North Korea Stance
President Donald Trump has turned once again via Twitter to express displeasure with one of his favorite media whipping boys, Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s Meet The Press.
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The president was a tad less harsh than earlier this year, when Trump called Todd a “sleeping son of a bitch” during a rally. But he still mocked the negative questioning by Todd on what the president perceives as positive results regarding his negotiations with North Korea.
This morning on Meet The Press, Todd verbally jousted with the president’s chief congressional negotiator, Marc Short. The conversation covered James Comey, the Mueller investigation, and particularly North Korea. The latter is what raised the president’s ire.
To start the conversation, Todd asked Short whether North Korea could be trusted, given its negotiating history. Todd quoted Ari Fleischer, a veteran of the Bush administration, who noted of North Korea, “Call me a cynic, but based on history, one they’ll suspend today and begin again tomorrow. Two, they have alternative ways, sites to carry out their mission, and three, they’re lying now or will lie tomorrow. This is how NK behaves. Remember the Agreed Framework.”
Todd then asked Short, “What has the United States gotten from North Korea? (North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) done temporary everything. But he’s not made a pledge on denuclearization, this last time. He hasn’t released these hostages yet. We’ve given him the meeting. That in itself is a huge gift. What have we gotten in return?”
Short responded: “I would tell you that what one, is, is an agreement to stop testing, which is something North Korea’s not done before. We also, though, have cautious optimism, Chuck. We are cautious. You heard the president say many times, we’re going to keep up maximum pressure. We’re not going to stop that until they denuclearize. So as far as having the meeting, he’s also said I can walk away from the table.”
Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago estate for the weekend, evidently was watching:
….We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they won’t – only time will tell….But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018
Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we haven’t given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018