Emily Kowalik ‘18
Opinions Editor
At a recent United Nations meeting, President Donald Trump severely criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump referred to Kim with the mocking nickname “Rocket Man” and threatened to “totally destroy North Korea” if necessary.
“Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime,” the President said in his address to diplomats from across the globe. “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.”
And on Saturday night, President Donald Trump tweeted a forceful reaction to that day’s speech given by North Korea’s foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho.
“Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!”
Ho retaliated against Trump’s personal attack on the North Korean leader by calling Trump “a mentally deranged person full of megalomania” who is holding “the nuclear button.”
Trump’s remarks to the U.N. were intended to be a serious, philosophical speech given to an organization dedicated to the goal of promoting peace. Trump’s speech was intended to explain America’s policy of “America First,” why such measures were necessary for our national security and why it should be adopted by others.
And yet, after the President went off on his silly, thoughtless tirade, it’s now unlikely anyone will remember anything uttered before the words “Rocket Man.”
“Rocket Man” was the sound-byte that all the media outlets used: that and his childish, undiplomatic threat to “destroy North Korea.” North Korea has escalated its nuclear aggression; it sent a missile flying over Japan last week for the second time in two months. Earlier this month, North Korea launched its sixth nuclear test, which Korea claimed was a hydrogen bomb.
So, now there’s speculation among media outlets that Trump’s rash, tactless taunts are bringing the United States closer to war, and the reaction of the Korean Foreign Minister does nothing to dispel those fears.
At the very least, Trump’s speech has probably made it more unlikely we will be able to convince North Korea to give up their nukes. As Richard Haas, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, cautioned, deriding Kim Jong-un is “more likely to persuade North Korea to increase its nuclear weapons … than give them up.”
Instead of delivering calm, considered remarks meant to pave the way toward respectful discussion and deal-making, Trump’s speech and subsequent tweet have provoked an inevitably negative response from Korea; unsurprising considering the fact that Trump threatened to kill Kim and the citizens of his country.
While the President may only be trying to adopt a tough stance, in an effort to deter North Korea from attacking the United States or an ally like Japan, Trump certainly has made no progress towards America’s goal of convincing North Korea to give up its weapons.
While no one is saying that Trump or any U.S. official should flatter or praise Kim, it’s certainly undeniable that it was unproductive and unhelpful for Trump to escalate the level of tension between the United States and North Korea by insulting Korea’s leader.
