James Mattis: 'A Lot of Reasons for Optimism' on NKorea

Defense Secretary James Mattis thinks there are "a lot of reasons for optimism" ahead of what would be a historic meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, Stars and Stripes reported Monday.

The assessment came just before Mattis met with Thailand's Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon at the Pentagon, the military news outlet reported.

"Right now, I think there is a lot of reasons for optimism that the negotiations will be fruitful, and we'll see," he said, Stars and Stripes reported.

He did not elaborate, but the remarks follow the April 20 vow by Kim to stop testing long-range and nuclear missiles and to shut down a testing site.

According to Stars and Stripes, some Pentagon officials have privately expressed skepticism about Kim's promise, given the rogue regime's failure to live up to previous deals with the United States.

Army Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said nothing has changed "from a military perspective" for the Department of Defense "to be ready to fight tonight," Stars and Stripes reported.

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