[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 114 (Monday, July 9, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              North Korea

  Mr. President, briefly, on another matter--the ongoing negotiations 
with North Korea over their nuclear program. Despite all the reality 
show pomp and circumstance, the negotiations have, thus far, been a 
flop. After the summit, President Trump declared, without any 
evidence--that is so typical--that ``North Korea is no longer a nuclear 
threat'' to the United States. The reality, of course, is far 
different.
  Recent reports have shown that North Korea is making upgrades to a 
nuclear facility and expanding ballistic missile manufacturing. Just a 
few days ago, North Korean media called the negotiations with Secretary 
of State Pompeo ``deeply regrettable,'' accusing the Trump 
administration of pushing ``a unilateral and gangster-like demand for 
denuclearization.'' Talks are going great, and then our side is accused 
of being gangster-like?
  For the President to say North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat 
and then have North Korea's Foreign Ministry come back and say what 
they said, shows the disconnect between President Trump's rhetoric, the 
reality, and the sheer incompetence of this administration. For those 
who say--and I hear it all the time from many of my Republican friends 
in my State and throughout the country--they say: Look, we don't like 
the President's style. We wish he didn't tweet so much, but we support 
him because he is ``getting stuff done.'' Take a look at the yawning 
gap between what the President claims and what he has actually 
achieved. On North Korea and on so many other issues--taxes and 
healthcare are two other examples--the President makes grand promises 
but fails to deliver for the American people.