By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-tough-rhetoric-led-to-north-korea-summit Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump says tough rhetoric led to North Korea summit Politics Jun 12, 2018 8:24 AM EDT SINGAPORE — President Donald Trump says he sometimes “felt foolish” lobbing insults at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But he says without his harsh rhetoric, their summit may never have happened. Trump is reflecting on his evolving rhetoric in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity in Singapore. Trump, who had threatened “fire and fury” and called Kim “Little Rocket Man,” says: “I think without the rhetoric we wouldn’t have been here.” He says that past administrations had what he called “a policy of silence” and didn’t respond when rivals “said something very bad and very threatening and horrible.” Trump says, “That’s not the answer.” He says of his rhetoric: “I hated to do it. Sometimes I felt foolish doing it. But we had no choice.” MORE: Read the document signed by Trump and Kim after the summit We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
SINGAPORE — President Donald Trump says he sometimes “felt foolish” lobbing insults at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But he says without his harsh rhetoric, their summit may never have happened. Trump is reflecting on his evolving rhetoric in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity in Singapore. Trump, who had threatened “fire and fury” and called Kim “Little Rocket Man,” says: “I think without the rhetoric we wouldn’t have been here.” He says that past administrations had what he called “a policy of silence” and didn’t respond when rivals “said something very bad and very threatening and horrible.” Trump says, “That’s not the answer.” He says of his rhetoric: “I hated to do it. Sometimes I felt foolish doing it. But we had no choice.” MORE: Read the document signed by Trump and Kim after the summit We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now