The North Korean government has been critical of White House National Security Adviser John Bolton throughout President Donald Trump's year-long crusade to broker an arms agreement with Pyongyang. | Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images Defense John Bolton shoots down report of 'nuclear freeze' with North Korea

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton on Monday dismissed reports that the administration is considering agreeing to a “freeze” of North Korea’s nuclear weapons arsenal as opposed to a more comprehensive denuclearization pact.

Prior to President Donald Trump’s meeting Sunday with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — where Trump became the first sitting commander-in-chief to step into the isolated, communist state — the New York Times reported that administration officials had been mulling a deal with Pyongyang to halt production of new nuclear material as a way to kickstart another round of talks with Kim’s regime.


But the head of Trump's National Security Council slammed the Times story, writing online that “there should be consequences” for its publishing. Bolton did not specify whether it was the Times or whoever its source was that should face those penalties.

“I read this NYT story with curiosity. Neither the NSC staff nor I have discussed or heard of any desire to ‘settle for a nuclear freeze by NK,’” Bolton tweeted , describing the report as “a reprehensible attempt by someone to box in the President.”

The Twitter account for the Times' public relations department replied to Bolton's message, writing: "We are confident in the accuracy of our reporting."

Sen. Lindsey Graham also rejected the potential compromise reported by the Times, praising Bolton in a tweet Monday.

"Glad to see National Security Advisor Bolton push back hard against the NY Times narrative stating the Administration would accept a nuclear freeze as an acceptable outcome by North Korea," the South Carolina Republican wrote online.

"To President Trump’s great credit he has the right goal – which is irreversible, verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula – with economic and security guarantees to North Korea in return," Graham continued. "This is the only win-win situation available for the Korean peninsula, United States, and the world at large. Legitimizing a nuclear arsenal in the hands of an unstable, erratic despot will never be an acceptable outcome."

Bolton, who has been a strong advocate within the West Wing to continue the administration’s drive for full denuclearization within North Korea, was meeting with Mongolian officials in Ulaanbaatar over the weekend, and was not present for Trump’s impromptu meeting with Kim inside the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea.

Trump previously cut short his February summit with Kim in Hanoi, Vietnam, as negotiations broke down between the White House and North Korean officials. But the president has since maintained his praise for Kim, saying last month that he had received a "beautiful letter” from the North Korean despot and subsequently sending his own missive to Kim in return.

The North Korean government has been especially critical of Bolton throughout Trump's year-long crusade to broker an arms agreement with Pyongyang, with a foreign ministry spokesman branding the hawkish former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations as a "warmonger" and "defective human product" in May.