America woke up this morning to incredibly encouraging news. President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un signed a statement of understanding that provides a basis for defusing one of the most dangerous trouble spots in the world. In spite of the media’s narrative, this was accomplished without President Trump really giving up anything in the process.


The agreement they signed today contains four main points:

• The United States and North Korea will establish new relations “in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.”

• Both nations will work toward “a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.”

• North Korea “commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

• Both nations “commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.”

In addition, Kim also pledged to shut down a facility that produces engines for his ballistic missiles.


This is obviously just a first step. There is still a long road to go, and there is also a long history of deception by North Korea. But what has been accomplished so far is historic. And I believe that Kim Jong-un understands that he is not dealing with a typical U.S. president.



Other Observations

When Donald Trump landed in Singapore and walked off Air Force One, after spending a tumultuous day and a half at the G7 Summit, he stayed up for the next 25 hours. It wasn’t that long ago when some in the media insinuated that the president was mentally ill and hiding real health issues.

We are sending this to you early this morning. As of now, there is very little reaction from America’s political establishment. But I would remind you that just a few months ago, many on the Left insisted that Trump’s rhetoric was going to get us into a nuclear war with North Korea.

Since that tough rhetoric, there has been no nuclear testing by North Korea.

There have been no missiles flying over Japan.

There have been no threats by Kim against Guam and Hawaii.

North Korea shut down its main nuclear test site.

Three U.S. hostages were released.

After meeting with Kim for four hours, the president held his second-longest press conference with the international media. He was totally in control.

In the midst of this historic setting, President Trump remembered a grieving American family, Mr. and Mrs. Warmbier, whose son, Otto, was treated brutally in captivity and arrived home brain dead. Here’s what the president said:


“Otto Warmbier is a very special person and he will be for a long time in my life. His parents are good friends of mine. I think without Otto, this would not have happened. Something happened from that day, [it] was a terrible thing. It was brutal. But a lot of people started to focus on what was going on, including North Korea. I really think that Otto is someone who did not die in vain. He had a lot to do with us today."


What he was saying is that America and the world saw the true evil of the North Korean regime and it strengthened our resolve. We got tough, and that forced Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table.

At the end of the press conference, the president experienced something he has not experienced in the U.S. and probably never will. At least half of the international reporters in the room broke out into applause.

In recent days leading up to this summit, many pundits have repeated Ronald Reagan’s famous statement, "Trust but verify.” I think, in this case, there is higher standard of “Don’t trust but verify.”

I don’t believe the word of the North Korean regime amounts to much. But I believe our verification efforts will be the toughest deployed by any administration. If the North Koreans are not keeping up their end of the deal, I have no doubt that this president won’t hesitate to take action. And I believe Kim Jong-un understands that.


Going forward, it would be helpful if the American Left, which always claims to be for peace, would unite behind this president who has just accomplished something that none of his predecessors managed to achieve.