Illinois Lawmakers Talk Singapore Summit

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois lawmakers are sharing their thoughts after this week's historic summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Shared on Twitter, some felt "encouraged" while others said we should "expect more from our leaders."

Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement as her response to the agreement signed by President Trump and Kim Jong Un during the summit:

“Maximum pressure is wasted when we settle for minimal results. The Trump Administration’s announcement that the United States will suspend joint military exercises with South Korea – which the Commander-in-Chief insultingly described as ‘very provocative’ – without any concrete promises or plans to achieve verifiable denuclearization, is disappointing and offensive to our Armed Forces and our allies in the region. We should expect much more from our leaders.”

Unilaterally ending our military’s involvement on the Korean Peninsula would hand Kim Jong Un a significant victory & put our allies in the region at risk
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) June 13, 2018

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also shared his thoughts:

"It is better for the leaders of nations with nuclear weapons to exchange positive words than hurl insults. But the meeting in Singapore did not produce an agreement, nor any credible plan to remove the nuclear threat from the Korean Peninsula. The press opportunity has passed. Now the American people and our allies deserve serious negotiations and results."

U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) posted to his Twitter account Tuesday, "I am encouraged by this historic & warm meeting between our two countries as a prelude to peace & denuclearization by N. Korea. It is imperative that words be backed up by verifiable actions. N. Korea’s actions will determine the long-term impact of this initial step."

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