Officials Identify North Korean Test Site Kim Committed to Destroy at Summit
Kylie Atwood | CBS News
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has committed to the U.S. that North Korea will destroy the Ch’olsan County, North Pyongan province testing site, which sometimes is referred to as the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, CBS News reports. This agreement was made when President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Singapore earlier this month, administration officials confirmed.
No Sign of North Korea Dismantling Nuclear Weapons Programme, Mattis Admits
Julian Borger | Guardian
The U.S. defense secretary, James Mattis, has said he is unaware of any steps taken by North Korea towards dismantling its nuclear weapons program since the Singapore summit and does not expect any in the immediate future. Mattis was speaking to reporters amid confusion over the diplomatic follow-up to last week’s summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.
Germany Wants to Know If the U.S. Will Let It Carry Nuclear Weapons on Its New Fighter Jets
Business Insider
Germany is pressing Washington to clarify whether it would let the Eurofighter Typhoon carry nuclear bombs as part of shared Western defenses, an issue that could help decide whether Berlin orders more of the jets, sources familiar with the matter said. Although not a nuclear power, Germany hosts some U.S. nuclear warheads under NATO’s nuclear-sharing policy and operates a number of Tornado warplanes that can deliver them.
The U.S. Navy is Fed Up With Ballistic Missile Defense Patrols
David B. Larter | Defense News
The U.S. Navy’s top officer wants to end standing ballistic missile defense patrols and transfer the mission to shore-based assets. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said in no uncertain terms on June 12 that he wants the Navy off the tether of ballistic missile defense patrols, a mission that has put a growing strain on the Navy’s hard-worn surface combatants, and the duty shifted towards more shore-based infrastructure.
U.S. Senate Extends Trump’s Authorities on Withdrawal From INF Treaty
TASS
The U.S. Senate has adopted the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019, which contains a section envisioning Washington’s actions regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, at a meeting on Monday. “In light of the Russian Federation’s material breach of the INF Treaty, the United States is legally entitled to suspend the operation of the INF Treaty in whole or in part for so long as the Russian Federation continues to be in material breach of the INF Treaty,” the document says.
The Takeaway From Kim’s China Visit: Trump Wants North Korea Nukes, Xi Is Focused on Its Economy
Emily Rauhala | Washington Post
While Trump appears to be betting that Kim will quickly abandon the nuclear program his country just built, Xi seems to be wagering that he won’t. Though China surely wants a nuclear-free North Korea, one day, its immediate aim is getting Kim on its side and making North Korea stable.