President Trump's surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday has sparked a wide array of responses.
Many consider the event, during which Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to step foot on North Korean soil, another photo op or television ratings boost for the president, who, The Washington Post reports, has been criticized for emphasizing style over substance in his North Korea strategy. Trump's critics, therefore, see Sunday's meeting as little more than a way for Trump to exercise his prowess as a showman.
Trump has also faced continuous criticism for his penchant for speaking highly of Kim and reinforcing the idea that the two leaders have a strong relationship. But, others like Fox News' Tucker Carlson (who was reportedly at the DMZ with Trump), have praised the president for choosing the course of practicality. Carlson phoned in to Fox News on Sunday and called it "silly" for people to focus purely on North Korea's atrocities, while ignoring the larger picture.
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"In the end, what matters is what's good for the United States," Carlson said, though he did call Kim's regime "monstrous" and "disgusting." But even those who agree with Carlson that diplomacy is superior to the alternative don't always appreciate the Trump administration's friendly tone toward Pyongyang. Tim O'Donnell
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