The Trump administration has been "clear-eyed with a healthy amount of skepticism" about the chances that North Korea will dismantle its nuclear program, Rep. Michael McCaul said Wednesday, but he does think diplomacy will continue.
"I don't think they'll walk away and North Korea's going to dismantle their entire program, but I think there'll be signs of progress," the Texas Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom," while noting that there are still questions about what denuclearization will mean.
But moving forward, "I think you'll see diplomatic offices potentially open up in both North Korea and the United States, which is positive for communication," said McCaul. "I think it's good to have a conversation with world leaders."
North Korea, however, has "played three prior administrations with lies and deceits," said McCaul.
"We made concessions to the point now where they have intercontinental ballistic missiles," he continued. "We have to engage because the stakes are too high."
McCaul also Wednesday argued in favor of President Donald Trump's emergency border declaration, as lawmakers take sides on a resolution to reject it.
"I can't imagine anybody making the argument," said McCaul. "We have all these family units coming up and drugs pouring into the United States; human traffickers, the numbers are going up down there. We do have an emergency and President (Barack) Obama called it an emergency in the prior administration. I think the president is within his rights under the law."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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