Trump hints axed summit with Kim Jong Un might be back on

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Trump canceled because he felt North Korea was "playing him."

"The preferred route is through peace, through a peace treaty, a win-win for them and us," he said on NBC's 'Today.' "And in terms of when, he wants it to be in his first term, but if diplomacy fails, then military action is the only thing left, and it would be the utter destruction of the North Korean regime, which would come at a high price."

Trump’s letter to Kim left the way open for the White House to rejoin talks.

“You talk about nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used,” Trump threatened, before adding, “If you change your mind … please do not hesitate to call me or write.”

Pyongyang’s response was also highly unusual for its speed and conciliatory tone, according to Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University, who described it as “close to an apology letter.”

By contrast, China was unapologetic, brushing aside suggestions it had derailed the summit. “We have no ulterior motives,” foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing. “The nuclear issue on the [Korean] Peninsula requires all parties concerned, especially those directly involved in the issue, to be able to move toward the same direction and act with good will.”

He added: “The pressing task is that all involved parties should push forward a meeting and achieve a positive outcome during a summit. All parties involved must create the right atmosphere."

What went wrong for Trump in North Korea? Everything

Nevertheless China has made it clear it wants to be involved in any denuclearization talks.

Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, a former supreme allied commander of NATO and currently the dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said that "you could feel the air collapse in the summit balloon" after Kim's recent visit to Beijing.

"Clearly China wants to position themselves to be a driver in this process," he said. "They encouraged Kim Jong Un to step back from the summit."

Stavridis added: "The way this summit was moving, we were going to end up with a U.S.-North Korea summit, South Korea playing a bit part and China not even on the stage. That is unacceptable to President Xi."

The biggest blow from the summit cancellation was felt in South Korea, the main sponsor of the talks, where its National Security Council met Friday for an hour.

Dozens of university students and women's rights activists protested in different rallies in Seoul on Friday to denounce Trump, with some punching his face printed on a sign and tearing his photograph apart.

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