Michael Schuman, Columnist

Trump’s Shift on North Korea Is Fraught With Peril

Pursuing a more limited agreement risks upsetting allies, emboldening foes and encouraging nuclear proliferation.

February 28, 2019 at 1:27 AM UTC

Michael Schuman is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub and the author of "Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World" and "The Miracle: The Epic Story of Asia's Quest for Wealth."

Still far apart.
Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

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President Donald Trump looks poised to smash another pillar of U.S. foreign policy in his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. For decades, Washington has aimed for a grand bargain with North Korea: Give up your nukes, and get rich in return. This time, Trump seems ready to accept more limited goals, in exchange for more limited benefits.

For once, the president’s break with tradition is a good idea. Demanding total denuclearization was always a nonstarter. A fresh approach, based on baby steps rather than great leaps, might build confidence and eventually lead to a full settlement.