U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) released the following statement today after President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in Singapore:

“I firmly believe that it is the responsibility of the United States to pursue peace and stability through diplomacy whenever possible. As we face the challenges posed by North Korea, we must also keep in mind the threat the government in Pyongyang poses to its own citizens. Kim Jong-Un and his regime’s human rights record is disgraceful and President Trump has now given the regime legitimacy on the world stage in exchange for vague commitments.

“Just last month, the President withdrew the United States from an agreement to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions that included robust oversight, arguing that Iran did not concede enough and that we conceded too much. The President has now handed Kim Jong-Un broad concessions without consulting our partners in the region. In the same week, he has disparaged our allies at the G7 Forum and further isolated the United States.

“While continuing to pursue diplomacy with North Korea is necessary, if the President is serious about these efforts, he has an obligation to work with our partners and allies to form a clear strategy to achieve a comprehensive and verifiable pathway toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.”