WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to President Trump's nuclear summit with Kim Jong Un of North Korea:

“This was a significant setback, but I think the negotiation process and diplomacy should continue.  We must re-establish the maximum pressure campaign on Pyongyang and that requires ensuring that China and the other regional powers cooperate with us.

“President Trump got a poor result because he did a poor job setting the table and conditions for this meeting.  Successful summits are generally the ratification of a pretty well-defined deal by the leaders.  Instead, President Trump went into this meeting thinking that if he praised and embraced Kim Jong Un, he could get what he wanted.  And it didn’t work. 

“And Chairman Kim also learned a key lesson from the first summit – that he could directly appeal to President Trump and garner concessions like the cancellation of joint exercises.  I have spoken at length about my concerns regarding the scaling down of exercises.  While I understand the need to create the space for diplomacy, the cancellation or scoping down of exercises should not have been on the table.  I think President Trump’s unexpected announcement of the cancellation of joint exercises created two problems – first, it reduced readiness of our joint forces, and second, it emboldened Chairman Kim to think he could personally appeal to President Trump for the lifting of sanctions without full denuclearization.

“President Trump would have been better served reminding the world that the U.S. is a beacon for human rights instead of being an apologist for a dictator like Kim.   Instead, he elevated Kim Jong Un and weakened America’s leverage.

“Last time, President Trump prematurely claimed he “solved” the nuclear crisis – that took the pressure off North Korea.  Thankfully, he didn’t repeat that mistake.  But we need to quickly and properly re-apply pressure.

“President Trump’s statement that “we’ll end up being good friends with Chairman Kim” does not set the stage to increase pressure on the regime in the coming months.  I think it is critical that the Administration work on getting sanctions enforcement to where it was before the Singapore Summit.  That will require increased diplomatic engagement and sustained pressure.”