N. Korea won't give up nuclear weapons: ex-Trump adviser
(SOUNDBITE) TRUMP'S FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JOHN BOLTON SAYING:
"I think the strategic decision that Kim Jong Un is operating through is that he will do whatever he can to keep a deliverable nuclear weapons capability and to develop and enhance it further.."
President Trump's ousted national security adviser John Bolton appeared to critique Trump's stance on North Korea on Monday… saying Pyongyang had no intention of giving up its nuclear weapons...
(SOUNDBITE) TRUMP'S FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JOHN BOLTON SAYING:
"Perhaps they'll be a little less delighted now that I can speak in unvarnished terms now/ It seems to be clear that the DPRK has not made a strategic decision to give up its nuclear weapons. In fact, I think the contrary is true…/ (overlay with pic of Kim Jong Un) He may try to get relief from international sanctions, he may make some concessions, but under current circumstances, he will never give up the nuclear weapons voluntarily"
Bolton, a harsh critic of North Korea, warned against stalling on negotiations or waiting on a resolution with Pyongyang and Iran because that would only give those countries more time to plan and produce nuclear weapons…
The foreign policy hawk also said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank event that it might not be an encouraging sign that there are no nuclear testings done at the moment..
(SOUNDBITE) TRUMP'S FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JOHN BOLTON SAYING:
"One very good, very troubling reason why there is no more testing of nuclear weapons for the moment or of long range missiles is that North Korea has in its judgement for well or ill, finished testing and can produce warheads and long-range ballistic missiles"
(SOUNDBITE) PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING:
"there's been no nuclear testing for a long time. A long time."
Trump has hailed North Korea's testing freeze as a triumph of his diplomacy..
On Monday, Bolton, who Trump called a "disaster' on North Korea policy, was asked about Trump's friendship with Kim Jong Un.
(SOUNDBITE) VICTOR CHA, SENIOR ADVISER AND KOREA EXPERT CAMERA AT CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, SAYING:
"So then is his so-called 'bromance' diplomacy the best way to try to get to that point?"
BOLTON: "I'm not going to comment on that." (LAUGHTER)
