Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to “survive,” he must meet with the President Trump and establish a deal with the U.S. regarding denuclearization.
“I’m here to tell North Korea that our president has drawn a red line,” Graham said during an Wednesday interview with Fox News’ Martha McCallum. “If you keep threatening the American homeland with a nuclear weapon we’re going to destroy your regime. It’s that simple.”
North Korea warned the U.S. Tuesday that next month’s historic meeting with Trump in Singapore could be in jeopardy due to “provocative military disturbances with South Korea,” referring to joint military exercises in South Korea.
Graham issued a warning to Kim, saying Kim must meet with Trump in exchange for guaranteed safety.
“So if you want to survive, Kim Jong Un, you need to sit down with the president and do a deal giving up your nukes,” Graham said. “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you are miscalculating Donald Trump. He’s not Obama. You do this at your own peril.”
Sen. @LindseyGrahamSC to Kim Jong Un: “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re miscalculating @realDonaldTrump. He’s not Obama.” pic.twitter.com/M9Rq0ob8nE
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 16, 2018
In responding to the North Koreans’ threat of pulling the meeting, the Trump administration said the military exercises in South Korea would continue and that Kim was fully aware of the training sessions previously.
“Kim Jong Un had said previously that he understood the need and the utility of the United States and the Republic of Korea continuing in its joint exercises,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
“They’re exercises that are legal, they’re planned well, well in advance. We have not heard anything from that government or the government of South Korea to indicate that we would not continue conducting these exercises or that we would not continue planning for our meeting and President Trump and Kim Jong Un next month,” she added.
