Victor Cha

“And in many ways, Trump had the leverage. It's a very different situation now,”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-23

Victor Cha noted that Donald Trump held greater leverage over North Korea eight years prior.

“I think he frankly wants to take the headlines off of Iran,”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-23

Victor Cha commented on Donald Trump's motivations for renewing diplomacy with North Korea.

“Where the rubber really hits the road on this is the whole question of U.S. troops in Korea because North Korea would like them out, South Korea would like them to stay, and it's not entirely clear what President Trump wants,”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-23

Victor Cha explained the strategic complexities surrounding U.S. troop presence in South Korea.

“If all of a sudden our radars pick up a ballistic missile flying through the air, we have no way of contacting North Korea to ask them, ‘Is this your intent? Did you send this?’”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-23

Victor Cha highlighted the absence of a direct crisis-management communication channel with North Korea.

“There really isn't a military solution for a country like North Korea that has 50, 60, 70 nuclear weapons and several delivery systems for those weapons.”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-23

Victor Cha discussed the lack of a military solution regarding North Korea's nuclear arsenal.

“I think part of it is that Korea is treating this like a regular investment, in the sense that they want all the T’s crossed and the I’s dotted before they make an announcement, and that’s just not the way it works in a Trump administration,”

Victor Cha · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-17

Cha explains why South Korea's approach to announcing its $350 billion investment pledge clashes with the Trump administration's expectations.