Americans Increasingly Approve Of The Way Trump Is Handling North Korea

by Ryan Pickrell

Domestic support for President Donald Trump’s handling of North Korea is on the rise, according to a CBS News poll.

As the president prepares for an unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un, 42 percent of Americans approve of the way Trump is dealing with North Korea. This figure is up from 34 percent in January.

The percentage of people who disapprove has dropped to 50 percent, the CBS poll revealed.

Last year was characterized by rising tensions as North Korea tested ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs, to which the U.S. responded with sanctions and warnings that the U.S. might pursue a military solution.

After declaring the completion of the state nuclear force, the North made an unexpected diplomatic overture to South Korea, triggering several high-level exchanges. Following a landmark meeting between the North Korean dictator and South Korean diplomats, South Korean officials informed Trump that Kim is eager to meet him to discuss denuclearization.

The president agreed immediately. Pyongyang has been silent on the matter, but if this meeting happens, Trump will become the first sitting American president to sit down with a North Korean leader. There are concerns that Kim may be playing Trump by pursuing a meeting to elevate his status on the world stage while holding on to its nuclear weapons.

The percentage of Americans who feel uneasy about conflict with North Korea has dropped 8 percent from last August, and the percentage of people who believes the crisis on the Korean Peninsula can be resolved without conflict has risen 6 percent. The percentage of Republicans who feel uneasy about a potential conflict is down 19 percent.

CBS polled 1,223 American adults between March 8-11.

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