U.S. President Donald Trump said "there are 45,000 American troops in Korea to protect them from Kim Jong-un, and Korea didn't help us."
At a press conference held at the White House on Tuesday (local time), Trump mentioned that NATO did not provide help regarding the Iran war, adding that South Korea, Australia, and Japan also did not help the United States.
"If certain presidents had done their job properly, Kim Jong-un would not have nuclear weapons right now," he stressed. He also described North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as having "numerous nuclear weapons," adding that "I get along very well with Chairman Kim."
The remarks are interpreted as criticism of previous presidents for failing to take any action regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons. The comments are also drawing attention as they appear to once again implicitly recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. Observers note that Trump's criticism of South Korea, Japan, and others for not dispatching warships could lead to stronger pressure in areas such as investment in the U.S. and tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act.
Trump: "How About U.S. Charging Hormuz Tolls...America Wins"
The press conference was held to highlight the successful rescue of an American pilot from Iran. With Trump having set a deadline of 8 p.m. on Wednesday (9 a.m. Thursday Korea time) for strikes on Iranian infrastructure including power plants, he said negotiations were progressing well while listing demands that set a high bar for Iran, including abandoning nuclear weapons and fully opening the Strait of Hormuz. "Negotiations are going well," Trump said, while stressing that "we will never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons."
When asked whether he was willing to end the war while Iran continues to charge tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, he countered, "How about the United States charging the tolls?" He added, "Why not? We are the winners."
Iran Rejects "Temporary Ceasefire"...Effectively at Odds with U.S. Over Hormuz Sovereignty
Iran had previously rejected a mediating country's proposal for a "45-day ceasefire," saying "a temporary ceasefire is unacceptable," and counter-proposed a permanent peace plan consisting of 10 items. The plan included: ▲a complete halt to military conflicts in the region, ▲establishment of a new protocol for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, ▲post-war reconstruction support, and ▲lifting of economic sanctions against Iran. Trump's remarks on Tuesday appeared to be considerably far from these demands.
With the strike deadline on power plants and other targets just one day away, Trump continued his hardline rhetoric against Iran. At a White House event held before the press conference, he said he had no intention of extending the strike deadline further, suggesting he had already given Iran sufficient time. He also stressed, "If we have to pay a little more for oil for a few months, we will do that, but we will never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons." Trump repeated the phrase "no nuclear weapons for Iran" four times during the press conference.
He also said "the U.S. military could eliminate all of Iran overnight," adding that "that overnight could be tomorrow." He warned, "If there is no agreement by 8 p.m. tomorrow, every bridge in Iran will be completely destroyed and power plants will stop operating."
Abandoning the Strait and Withdrawing? America's "Cut-Off" Plan