Convince Trump with irrefutable data
Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 19:43
Updated: 18 Dec. 2024, 16:57
KANG TAE-HWA
The author is a Washington correspondent of the JoongAng Ilbo.
“I never say because I have to negotiate things, right?” said President-elect Donald Trump when asked about his administration’s stance on defending Taiwan in an event of Chinese invasion in an interview with NBC on Dec. 8. Trump also said that he communicated with Xi three days ago. The host asked whether he asked Xi not to invade Taiwan, but Trump said he did not.
The specifics of his “negotiation” are not clear. However, in an interview with Bloomberg in July, he said, “We’re no different than an insurance company” for Taiwan. In an interview with Wall Street Journal in October, he suggested a general direction of security policy, mentioning a 200 percent additional tariff on China if it invades Taiwan.
What about North Korea, where tariff strategies do not work? What would happen if Trump suddenly posted on social media that he had a nice conversation with Kim Jong-un and that he would not say whether he would defend South Korea?
Heritage Foundation’s Bruce Klinger said Trump has been checking credibility with allies and evaluating consequent contributions in order to confront threats by North Korea and China.
During the “assessment period” he mentioned, Trump did not show any reaction to the declaration of martial law and impeachment. On Dec. 14, he created a “presidential envoy for special missions” position to carry out “special duties” including North Korean affairs and entrusted the grave responsibility to Richard Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany. Grenell is the one who mentioned a plan to withdraw the U.S. forces Korea (USFK) during the first Trump administration. At the Republican National Convention in July, he said in front of reporters from Korea and European allies that there is no club to use facilities without paying dues, and allies can simply pay the bill for security.
Trump repeatedly says that he got along with Kim Jong-un and calls South Korea a “money machine.” He also said that if he were president, he would have made South Korea pay $10 billion for the USFK, nine times the amount agreed with the Biden administration.
Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the America First Policy Institute who is considered to have designed the policy for Trump’s second term, said in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in May that Trump values data. He advised that President Yoon Suk Yeol should meet with Trump and present him with the data that Korea is America’s biggest investor as soon as possible. Trump prefers “top-down” negotiations, but Yoon has been suspended from his duties, and Korea will have to watch Trump’s return with an acting president.
The author is a Washington correspondent of the JoongAng Ilbo.
“I never say because I have to negotiate things, right?” said President-elect Donald Trump when asked about his administration’s stance on defending Taiwan in an event of Chinese invasion in an interview with NBC on Dec. 8. Trump also said that he communicated with Xi three days ago. The host asked whether he asked Xi not to invade Taiwan, but Trump said he did not.
The specifics of his “negotiation” are not clear. However, in an interview with Bloomberg in July, he said, “We’re no different than an insurance company” for Taiwan. In an interview with Wall Street Journal in October, he suggested a general direction of security policy, mentioning a 200 percent additional tariff on China if it invades Taiwan.
What about North Korea, where tariff strategies do not work? What would happen if Trump suddenly posted on social media that he had a nice conversation with Kim Jong-un and that he would not say whether he would defend South Korea?
Heritage Foundation’s Bruce Klinger said Trump has been checking credibility with allies and evaluating consequent contributions in order to confront threats by North Korea and China.
During the “assessment period” he mentioned, Trump did not show any reaction to the declaration of martial law and impeachment. On Dec. 14, he created a “presidential envoy for special missions” position to carry out “special duties” including North Korean affairs and entrusted the grave responsibility to Richard Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany. Grenell is the one who mentioned a plan to withdraw the U.S. forces Korea (USFK) during the first Trump administration. At the Republican National Convention in July, he said in front of reporters from Korea and European allies that there is no club to use facilities without paying dues, and allies can simply pay the bill for security.
Trump repeatedly says that he got along with Kim Jong-un and calls South Korea a “money machine.” He also said that if he were president, he would have made South Korea pay $10 billion for the USFK, nine times the amount agreed with the Biden administration.
Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the America First Policy Institute who is considered to have designed the policy for Trump’s second term, said in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in May that Trump values data. He advised that President Yoon Suk Yeol should meet with Trump and present him with the data that Korea is America’s biggest investor as soon as possible. Trump prefers “top-down” negotiations, but Yoon has been suspended from his duties, and Korea will have to watch Trump’s return with an acting president.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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