The Daily Show: Trump Blabs About Mike Pompeo's Secret Meeting with North Korea

[Rhiannon12866]

CIA Chief Mike Pompeo secretly meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and President Trump can't resist letting the world know about it.

[ProgRocknProgPol]

1. Confirmation Assistance?

I wonder if this was to assure Pompeo's confirmation as Secretary of State?
Probably also trying to build hype for the "great de-nuclearization meeting" that's sure to be an immediate and smashing success with absolutely no strings attached or possibility for failure (you know, like the last two North Korea summits). /s

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Good point!

I really don't understand how Trump can send anyone anywhere without confirmation. Or, in the case of Jared, without security clearance. And from what we've heard, Pompeo has a lot of opposition in Congress. Trump is setting himself up for more embarrassment (Nikki Haley).

Oh! And welcome to DU!

[ProgRocknProgPol]

3. Thanks for the Welcome!

I've been a long time lurker, and since this may be the only place with a large group opposed to Trump after the summit I finally decided to join. I have a topic that I really want to start as soon as I have enough posts about that and how we may have to prepare for a period where the yutz's approval ratings are actually impressive if this summit goes well and denuclearization actually occurs. (This puts me in a tough spot because I do want peace on the Korean peninsula, but I'm sure the crap that 45 and the pubs will ramrod through as they bask in the glory of higher approval will be terrible for this nation in the long run).

As for this Pompeo announcement, it all just seems to be a series of slapdash, undisciplined zig-zagging from one boosting of the orange one's ego to the other.

But anyway, thanks again for the welcome. I look forward to hopefully many posts and topics here.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Well this is the place to be if you need to vent about Trump

Most of us here find what's going on now totally unbelievable - not to mention offensive and petty scary. And folks here are up on the latest news, so it's the best place to keep up with the latest Trump craziness.

I'm not optimistic that Trump can stick to one policy - or cabinet member - long enough to get anything done. As you said, everything is seat-of-the-pants diplomacy with him and he refuses to listen to anyone who has experience or actually knows something. The last successful negotiations we had with North Korea were begun by Jimmy Carter in 1994 on behalf of the Clinton administration - and continued by SoS Madeline Albright. But George Bush* violated the agreement by his "Axis of Evil" pronouncement in 2002. With Trump's penchant for gaffes, I can easily see him sticking his foot in it - and with the pressure he's facing with the Mueller investigation, he really has become a loose cannon.

[ProgRocknProgPol]

5. Normally I'd Just Say I Hope You're Right

But damn, I'm really hoping for peace on the Korean Peninsula and an end to the Mad Kim Reign. It would almost be worth listening to the bloviating blunderbuss yammer about it for the rest of his life. Like you said, though, his demeanor and actions so far don't inspire optimism for a long-term solution. Also, I have a hard time imagining Kim completely giving up his largest (and probably only) piece of leverage without being overthrown soon after (hello Qaddafi), and I think he knows the risk.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Oh, I sure hope for a successful outcome as well

It's just that I don't have much confidence in the expertise of Trump's picks or his ability to follow through. Jimmy Carter learned that the one thing that North Korea needed was respect - and that's why he was successful, not to mention his background in nuclear engineering. I just doubt Trump's ability to give anyone respect - he hasn't even been able to do that with our allies.