On Thursday the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on two Chinese shipping companies accused of helping North Korea evade international sanctions. In a tweet, President Trump said Friday he would reverse them, a surprise declaration that sparked confusion in Washington.
It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea. I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2019
“His summit didn’t work,” Pingree says. “The reason we have these sanctions is to try and stop nuclear activity there, and for the President to just decide to reverse it is frightening.”
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine says the President is confusing allies, and adversaries alike.
“It adds a lot of confusion. I think people didn’t feel confident about his planning for the summit, the assistance he got before he went, the way it worked out. And now to hear that he is going against his own Treasury Department I think just raises a lot more concern.”
