*By Kavitha Shastry*
President Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a joint statement Tuesday that calls for North Korea "to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "
The two heads of state agreed to the statement after a meeting in Singapore, where Trump and Kim greeted each other with a handshake in front a wall of red, white, and blue flags representing both countries.
It was the first time a sitting U.S. president had met a North Korean leader. Their four-hour meeting included only translators to facilitate the conversation ー no advisors.
After the meeting, Trump told reporters that he was suspending U.S. military exercises with South Korea, and he was confident that Kim would live up to his commitment to dismantle North Korea's nuclear arsenal "very quickly."
Marc Lotter, a former aide to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, called the apparent agreement a "remarkable transformation" of relations between the two countries.
"I'll tell you, a little over a year ago, I was on Air Force Two with the Vice President, heading to Asia, when North Korea launched and tested a ballistic missile," Lotter said Tuesday in an interview with Cheddar's J.D. Durkin. "We were in the air at the time. And now to come a year later, 14 months, and see where we're standing, this is a remarkable transition, it's a remarkable transformation."
The joint statement, which Trump described as "very comprehensive," called for follow-up negotiations between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a North Korean official to begin "at the earliest possible date," but there was no specific timeline. The statement signed in Singapore sets the stage for what's expected to be a long negotiation.
Trump's comment to reporters after the summit meeting that the U.S. would [cease military drills](https://qz.com/1303123/trump-gave-north-korea-a-huge-concession-by-committing-to-cease-military-drills-with-south-korea/) with South Korea seemed to be a significant concession not specified in the joint statement.
“We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see that the future negotiation is not going along like it should,” Trump said. “But we’ll be saving a tremendous amount of money. Plus I think it’s very provocative.”
Trump also said that the process of denuclearization in North Korea would be a prolonged process. "Well, you know, scientifically, I've been watching and reading a lot about this, and it does take a long time, you know, to pull off complete denuclearization," he said.
Barbara Demick, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, said in an interview Monday with Cheddar, that the process could take 15 years.
"I don't think the U.S. trusts North Korea at this stage," she said. "I know North Korea does not trust the United States. So it will have to be part of a process."
Already, the process of engagement between the U.S. and North Korea has taken a sharp turn from a year ago, when a series of missile tests by North Korea threatened to escalate hostilities, and Trump issued ultimatums to Kim on Twitter, calling him "Little Rocket Man."
After Tuesday's summit, Trump described the meeting as "fantastic," and said that Kim has accepted an invitation to the White House, "at an appropriate time".
When asked how the U.S. could ensure that North Korea would dismantle its nuclear weapons, [he responded:](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/12/us-to-suspend-war-games-with-south-korea-donald-trump-kim-jong-un-north-summit) “Can you ensure anything? You can’t ensure anything. I just feel very strongly -- my instincts, my ability, my talent -- that they want to make a deal.”
Trump also [recounted an exchange](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/world/asia/trump-kim-live-updates.html) he had with Kim in which he used his real estate background to convince the North Korean leader of the benefits of normalized relations.
“As an example, they have great beaches," Trump said. "You see that whenever they’re exploding their cannons into the ocean. I said, ‘Boy look at that view. Wouldn’t that make a great condo?’”
“You could have the best hotels in the world right there,” Trump said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/fmr-special-assistant-to-president-trump-says-north-korea-summit-lays-the-blueprint-for-better-relations).
Members of Congress have voted to advance a bill meant to address antitrust concerns related to tech giants including Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta. The 'American Innovation and Choice Online Act' is largely seen as one of the best chances for the government to reign in Big Tech's dominance
Seth Schachner, Managing Director StratAmericas; Digital Business Executive joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
American semiconductor company, Intel officially announcing plans to build a new $20 billion chip manufacturing complex outside Columbus, Ohio. This comes as the global chip shortage continues to hamper production of everything from smart phones, to cars. Jennifer Smith - Logistics and Supply Chain Reporter, WSJ joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
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As the midterm election looms, things aren't looking too promising for President Joe Biden. One year into his term as president, Biden is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president, threatening his party's control of the House in 2022. Brian Bennett, Senior White House Correspondent for TIME, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
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"Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power" is the story of how the longtime House Democrat became, as she Is known to some, as "the Conscience of Congress." The film also
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San Diego has just implemented a new law that could set the stage for how the country deals with food waste. This new law hopes to make a dent in that. Businesses and groceries stores out in San Diego will need to put a plan in place to *donate edible food rather than toss it straight to the trash. Food Rescue Manager at Feeding San Diego, Kate Garret
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The Supreme Court has declined to order the Texas Abortion case back to the original trial judge for further proceedings. Essentially if Texas abortion providers were able to get their case back to the lower court., It would have greatly helped the group move against the law. However, this decision is likely to prolong the case legal battle. Professor and Author of "The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having — Or Being Denied — An Abortion", Diane Foster, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
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