*By Christian Smith*
South Koreans responded with a mix of optimism and worry Tuesday after President Trump announced he would suspend joint military exercises with South Korea as Kim Jong-un considers how to dismantle North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
President Moon Jae-In of South Korea [watched on TV and smiled](https://www.facebook.com/KoreaClickers/photos/rpp.181274814520/10156484091904521/?type=3&theater) as the American president and the North Korean leader met in Singapore. But Trump's unexpected announcement that he would stop joint military drills made some of America's allies in South Korea uneasy, according to Martyn Williams, editor at NorthKoreaTech.org.
"The right wing in South Korea is already not very pleased with these military drills stopping taking place," Williams said in an interview with Cheddar.
The president's statement, which appeared to be an off-the-cuff comment in a discussion with reporters after his meeting with Kim, was not part of the joint statement signed by the two leaders. The United States and South Korea conduct regular war games to prepare for the possibility of a conflict with North Korea, and there are about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.
Trump had said he hoped to strike a deal with Kim to eliminate North Korea's nuclear program, and touted the "very comprehensive" statement the leaders agreed to at the summit. But Williams said denuclearization will take more negotiations.
"I think it was a good first step, but what comes next is the most important thing," Williams said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-winners-and-losers-of-the-north-korea-summit).
Ben Bradlee earned the moniker of America's most dangerous editor during his tenure as executive editor of The Washington Post. Bradlee's wife, Sally Quinn, and director John Maggio join Cheddar to discuss HBO's new documentary, "The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee."
Sen. John McCain said this morning that he would vote in favor of the Republican tax bill. Grover Norquist is the founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform to explain why he's optimistic the bill will pass.
VF Hive editor Jon Kelly, Kristin Scholer and the Hive panel take us through the five biggest stories of the week in politics, business and technology.
Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries represents the eighth district of New York. He believes the Republican tax plan will protect millionaires and hurt middle-class Americans. The Congressman says that, despite an emphasis on reducing the federal deficit, the current plan will increase it by over a trillion dollars.
The speed at which this bill is getting pushed through Congress doesn't concern Norquist. He says the Senate has held 70 hearings on the plan. The Americans for Tax Freedom founder explains more.
Rep. Jeffries criticized the GOP's plan, saying Republicans want to hurt the middle class and help only the richest Americans. He also said state and local tax deductions should be completely cut.
More from Sen. Al Franken: "This has been a shock, and it's been extremely humbling. I am embarrassed, I feel ashamed."
The Democrat from New York State talks Roy Moore, Al Franken, and John Conyers and draws ethical lines on sexual harassment claims.
The deadline for Congress to pass the budget is approaching, but Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) says there's another priority. He joined Cheddar to discuss why Dream Act recipients are pivotal to the economy.
Minneapolis's Andrea Jenkins, the first black, transgender woman to be elected to public office, discusses sexual harassment in politics and whether Democrats will be able to keep the momentum that brewed during the historic 2017 elections.
