Sen. Lindsey Graham had a warning Friday for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, upon the news that the seven-decades war between the Koreas will come to an end: "Donald Trump will not tolerate being played."
"The worst thing Kim Jong Un could do is play Trump," the South Carolina Republican told Fox News' "Fox and Friends."
"To go through all these motions and go back to the old way of doing business, Donald Trump will not tolerate being played. We're either going to have peace or we're going to have a war now, because Kim Jong Un has made a mistake if he is not serious, and that's playing Trump."
On Friday, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to end the war and to pursue the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. The men embraced after signing the deal, coming during the first time a leader of North Korea has set foot on the southern side of the countries' borders.
Graham told Fox News that the deal would not have happened without President Trump, and if the two countries do sign a peace treaty that finally ends the war, he "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize."
"It may not happen, but it the biggest change since the end of the hostilities," said Graham. "The fact that the North Korean and South Korean president met and they vow to end the war, what happened? Donald Trump convinced North Korea and China he was serious about bringing about change."
Graham also credited Trump, with his talk of "fire and fury" and maximum pressure on North Korea, with bringing about the action.
"I'm glad he didn't listen to all those who failed before him," said Graham. "He convinced North Korea, you've got two options. You can become a normal country or we will take you down if you keep trying to build missiles to hit the American homeland."
He also thinks such words convinced both North Korea and China that Trump is serious.
"Every president before him tried this," said Graham. "What is different about Trump? They believe in North Korea if he had to, as a last resort, he would stop their nuclear program."
Graham also talked about Trump's threats to end the nuclear deal with Iran if a better agreement can't be reached.
"This is a terrible deal," Graham said. "Fifteen years from now, they can enrich and reprocess without limitation, and Trump says that's a bad deal. So I think he is going to try to convince the Europeans to change the deal or Trump is going to get out of it, and he should."
The major problem with the deal is its sunset clause,which pulls out inspectors after 15 years, allowing Iran to enrich and reprocess materials without limitations.
"The Arabs are wanting nuclear power," said Graham. "We will not allow them to enrich and reprocess, or make their own fuel. That's the craziest thing in the Middle East. Let's give the Iranians, our enemy, a better deal than our friends."
The bill also limits inspections, including on military bases, and Graham said that should change, as that is where all the research is happening.
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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