President Trump has hinted at deconstructing a trade deal with South Korea.  Geopolitical “experts” clutch their pearls at the possibility of President Trump targeting S-Korea at the same time that North Korea threatens the region.

WASHINGTON – President Trump confirmed Saturday that he was talking with advisers amid reports that he had instructed aides to prepare to withdraw the U.S. from its free trade agreement with South Korea.
“I am. It’s very much on my mind,” Trump told a reporter covering his day trip to Texas and Louisiana when asked if he was talking to advisers and would do something in the coming week. (more)

Media pundits join in deep sighs of concern. Oh noes, he didn’t..
CTH laughs.
People need to get their mind right with the entire principle behind ‘America-First’ and looking out for America’s best interests.  It wasn’t so long ago that South Korea was snarking back at POTUS Trump, the United States and were dismissive about paying for THAAD missile defenses etc.
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Well, that didn’t take too long.  For those who might not be familiar with the key issue in the breakdown of prior six-party talks (China, Russia, DPRK, S-Korea, Japan and U.S.), the issue was “denuclearization”.
Both China and Russia have just announced a shift in their public policy.  Together Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin agree the goal for the Korean Peninsular should be denuclearization:

BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Sunday to “appropriately deal with” the latest nuclear test by North Korea, state news agency Xinhua said.
“The two leaders agreed to stick to the goal of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula and keep close communication and coordination to deal with the new situation,” Xinhua said in a brief dispatch.

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CTH holds a fundamentally different view of China and North Korea than most.  Our position is based on independent research and a lengthy following of patterns between the two which show predictable cause and effect outcomes.
It is our position that while the DPRK is technically an independent nation; in reality, and in quintessential economic terms, North-Korea is more accurately defined as a province of China, and not an independent nation.  What China authorizes Kim Jong-un (North Korea) to do, Kim Jong-un does.  “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-un is better described as a provincial governor, who serves a specific function as a tool against the West.

History will observe the key date for President Trump’s strategic victory over North Korea was achieved on August 5th, 2017.  That’s the original date when Russia and China agreed to the U.N. Security Council’s economic sanctions against North Korea.  That first, historic, Russia and China U.N. Security Council vote against North Korea came as a result of eight months of assembled economic leverage created by President Donald Trump.
As a result of President Trump’s strategy, every time North Korea’s Kim Jong-un takes an action, President Trump hits China’s Xi Jinping with an additional economic action. As Beijing feels the squeeze, they tell Kim Jong-un to act. Every time Kim Jong-un acts, President Trump squeezes Beijing with more economic pressure.  Wash-Rinse-Repeat.
Communist Beijing has boxed themselves into this inescapable cycle.  The reason they keep authorizing Kim Jong-un to take action is simply because China has no alternative leverage to use against President Trump.  China has nothing in their economic arsenal they can use to hit back against President Trump, so Beijing keeps using North Korea in an attempt to create leverage.
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Two seismic events happening in North Korea are suspected to be a nuclear test.  The first event was reportedly measured at a 5.6 Richter Scale magnitude. The second event is being reported at 6.3.  Both seismic events are potentially related to a nuclear detonation:

SEOUL (Reuters) – An earthquake 5.6 was recorded on Sunday in North Korea near the country’s known nuclear test site Punggye-ri, Yonhap news agency reported, citing South Korea’s meteorological agency.
The quake appeared to have been man-made, Yonhap quoted the agency as saying, suggesting the isolated country had conducted a sixth nuclear test. (read more)

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at the National Guard Armory in Lake Charles, Louisiana to thank the military, first-responders and Cajun Navy prior to meeting with those impacted by TS Harvey and the subsequent Louisiana flooding.
First Lady Melania arrives with La/FLOTUS ball cap, and Governor John Bel Edwards  immediately says: “I love your hat”.

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Last week the insufferable left-wing media pounced on First Lady Melania Trump for exiting the White House en route to Texas wearing stiletto heels.  Today, our First Lady sent a subtle message in response.
Subtle, like a brick through a window…


After our President and our First Lady departed the White House armed with the messaging of a beautiful pair of snakeskin stiletto’s, our first family arrives in Texas.
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Lara Trump shares the week in review from the President Trump administration.  Topics include Hurricane Harvey response, economic news including the Tax Reform proposal and the geopolitical threat from North Korea’s aggression.

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President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Houston’t NRG Center, a 700,000 sq foot facility that is now serving the largest emergency shelter in the area.
President Trump and Melania met local Texans who have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey, together they passed out food, hugged families, and kissed and played with children at Houston’s NRG Center.

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President Trump stayed clear of the disaster zone earlier this week, saying he did not want to hamper rescue efforts. Instead, he met with Cabinet members, state and local leaders and first responders in the state capital Austin and Corpus Christi, where Harvey first hit, focusing on the logistics of the government response.
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