Bolton: Hanoi summit 'unquestionably a success'

President Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been decried as a failure, as the two heads of state were unable to come up with any meaningful agreement toward North Korean denuclearization.

But in an appearance on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, National Security Adviser John Bolton told host Jake Tapper that the summit was "unquestionably a success because the president protected, defended American interests."

Bolton said that the possibility was there for North Korea to denuclearize in exchange for the lifting of sanctions which would lead to a "very bright economic future." But, in the end, the North Koreans "were not willing to walk through the door" that Trump "opened for them."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

When Tapper pushed back, arguing that "nothing new has been achieved," Bolton said that the summit showed "again, the potential for the opening of North Korea." Watch the exchange below. Tim O'Donnell