President Trump might become just the second president since Ronald Reagan to not visit the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea during his trip to Asia next month. In addition to concerns about how Trump's presence on the border might provoke Pyongyang, others in the administration "have expressed concern over Trump's personal safety," The Washington Post reports.
Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have been engaged in a war of words over the past several months, with Trump dubbing the dictator "little rocket man" and "madman" while Kim slammed the U.S. commander in chief as being a "mentally deranged … dotard." While Trump's appearance at the border would signal U.S. resolve, others, including South Korean President Moon Jae-in's advisers, "fear that a Trump visit to the DMZ could increase the chances of a miscalculation that could provoke a military confrontation or have other unintended consequences," the Post writes.
Then there is the threat to Trump himself. When former President Bill Clinton toured the DMZ, his Secret Service staff carried rifles to protect him — in violation of the cease-fire laws.
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The White House will not yet confirm Trump's plans. The president will travel to South Korea as one stop during a five-nation trip through Asia between Nov. 3 and Nov. 14.
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