Trump’s defense chief nominee calls North Korea a ‘nuclear state’ | NK News
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January 15, 2025

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Trump’s defense chief nominee calls North Korea a ‘nuclear state’

Peter Hesgeth’s statement may signal shift from US policy of not accepting DPRK’s nuclear status

Donald Trump’s nominee for Pentagon chief called North Korea a “nuclear state” on Tuesday, appearing to signal a shift from long-standing U.S. policy of “never” accepting the DPRK’s nuclear status.

But an expert warned that Peter Hesgeth’s statement may simply reflect his ignorance of peninsula issues, rather than the incoming Trump administration’s plans to take a new approach toward Pyongyang.

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