President Trump was included in Time magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People for 2019 for his “personal diplomacy” in attempting to denuclearize North Korea.
In a letter penned by former Gov. Chris Christie, he praised the president for breaking with “decades of U.S. policy” and meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in person, calling it his “boldest move.”
“President Trump broke with decades of U.S. policy and held a summit with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore. The President believes that only personal diplomacy can solve this crisis. The President’s supreme confidence in his own ability to persuade others to make a deal is now the basis for American denuclearization policy toward North Korea,” the New Jersey Republican wrote.
“President Trump deserves great credit for daring to try to personally persuade Chairman Kim to join the family of nations. This approach holds the possibility for history-making changes on the Korean Peninsula to make us all safer,” Mr. Christie added.
Mr. Trump rejected a suboptimal proposal with North Korea in February, leaving the Hanoi summit without a denuclearization deal, a move praised by supporters and critics. The White House said negotiations would continue, although no schedule was offered.
Time released its 100 Most Influential People Wednesday, which included Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former first lady Michelle Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.
• Ben Wolfgang contributed to this article.
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