Fred Fleitz, Vice President of the America First Policy Institute and a close aide to President Trump, argued that Trump should meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol before meeting with Kim Jong-un. He suggested that Trump's visit to Seoul would strengthen the US-South Korea relationship and demonstrate his willingness to resume talks with Kim Jong-un. Fleitz also urged the dispatch of Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Seoul to finalize the details of the talks, and the appointment of former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre as a special envoy to North Korea. Fleitz praised South Korea's increased defense spending and support for US troops stationed in Korea, and urged stronger trilateral cooperation between the US, South Korea, and Japan, as well as the removal of obstacles to US-South Korea trade and energy agreements.
