In a Thursday appearance on CNN, national security journalist Max Boot brutally mocked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's assurances about North Korea's good intentions.
“All of these leaders have a personal stake in pretending there’s more substance here,” Boot said, stating flatly that the ongoing talks were for show. "Both [South Korean] President Moon and President Trump derive political benefits from keeping these negotiations going."
But when host Kate Bolduan asked him his opinion about Pompeo's Wednesday statement "that denuclearization negotiations are going to be completed by January of 2021," Boot burst out in derisive laughter.
"He is blowing smoke. He is making that up. There is no substance for that. He's just pulling a figure out of thin air," he said as Bolduan began laughing as well. "North Korea has not even delivered a full declaration of their nuclear program, which would be the basic prerequisite for going forward."
"So you put no stock in that?" asked Bolduan.
"I don't know where he gets this, he's smoking something," Boot repeated with a wry grin. "North Korea has not agreed to denuclearize by 2021. I don't see much chance of that happening."
Watch the video below.
