Fox News' Chris Wallace cautions that Kim Jong Un 'has given up nothing at this point'


The summit in Singapore between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to be going smoothly, but Fox News host Chris Wallace says that "optimism and caution are both warranted in this case."
On Monday night's The Ingraham Angle, Wallace said that it's "almost surreal" to see Trump and Kim, "who just months ago were launching verbal ICBMs at each other," standing together and shaking hands. It's "stunning" and "not to be minimized in any way," but it's also important to remember that "Kim Jong Un has given up nothing at this point. He has not given up a single nuclear bomb, he's not given up a single ICBM, he's not given up any of his nuclear infrastructure. Yes, kind words, yes, they're meeting ... [but] North Korea has made deals before, obviously with different presidents, and has backed off on all of them and reneged on all of them."
Looking back at Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev's meetings, "it's easy now" to say they were going to end the Cold War, "but that was not at all clear after the first summit and especially after the second in Reykjavik." As it stands now, "there have been no actions taken by North Korea in terms of denuclearizing," he reminded the audience, "and as they used to say in the Reagan years, the devil is in the details."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Could Democrats lose the New Jersey governor’s race?
Today’s Big Question Democrat Mikie Sherrill stumbles against Republican Jack Ciattarelli
-
‘Porsche’s luxury credentials are now hanging by a thread’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Choose your own wellness adventure in Greater Palm Springs
The Week Recommends Hit the spa, try a sound bath or take a hike
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats