Former U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster outlined a strategy on Monday for overcoming authoritarianism in the world, stating that diplomacy with North Korea has been fruitless and that the U.S. should focus on promoting democracy where it can.

“Support for democratic institutions and processes is not an exercise in altruism,” McMaster, who worked under the Trump administration for a little more than a year, said. “Democracy is a practical means of competing effectively with China and other adversaries who attempt to promote their interests at the expense of other nations through corrupt practices.”