By Teddy Dienst ’20

There have been a lot of negative encounters between President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders, especially Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea. However, the recent trip Trump took to talk to the North Korean leader should be viewed as a step in the right direction for international diplomacy. The president believes that North Korea is going to denuclearize, and discussed peace agreements with regards to the constant missile threats between the two nations.

According to Telegraph News, Trump and Kim announced in a joint statement that they want to work toward a “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.” Though there has been speculation that Kim is playing Trump, and only trying use the American president as his own political puppet, I personally disagree. In the meeting between the two, it was said that both had common viewpoints in denuclearizing, and had a good connection when they met.

Trump did a good job in keeping the peace with Kim. Considering that a United States president has not had a peaceful agreement with any North Korean leader in the last 33 years, it is a significant feat. It is definitely a step in the right direction in the  prevention of warfare.

Although Staples High School is primarily comprised of  liberal-leaning students and most disagree with many of Trump’s viewpoints and ideas, I believe that in this instance, the president deserves praise for his meeting with Kim. The threat of nuclear warfare surpasses partisan affiliations; human safety is much too important.  

While I do not necessarily think the United States and North Korea need to become allies, it would be mutually beneficial to both countries if there was an agreement to prevent ongoing threats in the future.

Photo contributed by South China Morning Post