Originally Posted by VRPdommy

Other POTUS have not ignored the issues, just as unsuccessful. But he like to 'claim' victory when it is not there.

Trade policy has always been to promote 'fair' trading. Not tell others 'they have to buy more from us'

We have always talked to NK, trump is just doing it alone without our partners of common interest who are the ones they have originally threatened ....OK... where has that landed him... the same place and because he actually believes/says progress was made, it is much worse now because there is no motivation to do anything now until they escalate it to the next level. This is how it turned so messy in all of the history behind it.
Everyone keeps accepting the next escalation after grumbling about it and putting up some words and doing nothing.
Everyone has known that the only thing you can do is keep it contained a bit.
Trump just learned that lesson we already knew.
Only now they have high end nukes and long range missiles.

If he was tough as he likes to portray himself, he would have put a navel blockade on the country right from the start. And i'm not arguing for that but it would be effective.
They are getting the tech from the outside. Our policy has been one of containment.

The only difference is portrayed as a matter of perception. It is worse, not better.
You can't polish a turd.