Donald Trump's next move on North Korea, Iran, Ronny Jackson? 'We'll see'

David Jackson | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — For a self-professed man of action, President Trump often casts his fate to whims of forces of beyond his control.

In recent days, Trump has relied on one of his most often-used verbal tics, using variations of the phrase "we'll see what happens" concerning charged issues such as North Korea, the Iran nuclear agreement, and the fate of Veterans Affairs secretary nominee Ronny Jackson.

"So the end result is, we'll see," Trump said Tuesday when discussing the prospect of a risky meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Maybe good things will happen and maybe we're all wasting a lot of time."

It's another example of Trump's unique rhetorical style.

Most predecessors spoke more directly and concretely about the options before them, and, according to presidential rhetoric expert Kathleen Hall Jamieson, "one of those alternatives was not 'wait and see.'"

Trump also likes to leave himself wiggle room for plans that may or may not come to fruition — and to give himself an out if things don't come together. If the Trump-Kim summit somehow falls though, Trump will always be able to say he warned us.

"He's minimizing his accountability," said Jamieson, co-author of Presidents Creating the Presidency: Deeds Done in Words. "He's also suggesting that, no matter what happens, he's right."

"A lot of people say"

"We'll see" is one of several pieces of rhetoric that Trump pulls out periodically, right up there with "a lot of people say" and "people don't realize."

Trump employed the wait-and-see construction no less than six times during Tuesday's news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. During a pair of earlier photo opportunities with Macron, he said "we'll see" at least three times, including in a reference ongoing talks about changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada.

During these comments, Trump:

• Expressed optimism that he would meet with Kim about eliminating North Korea's nuclear weapons, but also said it might not happen if he doesn't think it would be productive. He also said he would "leave the table" if the face-to-face proved to be fruitless.

While saying "we think it will be a great thing for North Korea and it will be a great thing for the world," Trump added: "So we'll see where that all goes. Maybe it will be wonderful and maybe it won't."

• Suggested he would make moves to end the Iran nuclear agreement when a certification deadline rolls around on May 12, even while saying that he and Macron discussed possible U.S. support for talks devoted to a new agreement to restrict Iran's nuclear development.

Proclaiming that "nobody knows what I'm going to do on the 12th," Trump said in an aside to Macron: "Although Mr. President, you have a pretty good idea. But we'll see ... but we'll see also if I do what some people expect."

• All but invited Jackson to withdraw his nomination as VA secretary over allegations about his conduct as White House physician, but also left open the possibility that he would still back the nominee if he wanted to proceed.

"I said to Dr. Jackson, what do you need it for?" Trump said. "So, we'll see what happens ... I don't want to put a man through a process like this. It's too ugly and too disgusting. So, we'll see what happens. He'll make a decision."

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Just a few hours later, after an Oval Office meeting with Jackson, the White House began an aggressive campaign on behalf of the doctor's nomination, saying the allegations against him are coming from bureaucratic and political rivals.

Not locked into anything

Earlier this month, during the run-up to a missile strike on Syria in the wake of a chemical weapons attack on anti-government rebels, Trump said, "we're looking very, very seriously, very closely at that situation and we'll see happens folks, we'll see what happens."

Over the course of his presidency, Trump has said "we'll see" on issues ranging from his unfounded claims of voter fraud to hopes for Middle East peace to disaster help in Puerto Rico. CNN reported that Trump used versions of the phrase more than 100 times during the first nine months of his presidency.

Analysts also said that Trump's wait-and-see approach has its advantages; it doesn't lock him into anything, and he can't be accused of over-promising.

Jeffrey K. Tulis, author of The Rhetorical Presidency, described the "we'll see" forecast of a Kim meeting as "a rare instance for Trump of smart strategic and diplomatic thinking" on the president's part.

"He wanted to convey optimism about his North Korea negotiations without over-promising or signaling to the North Koreans that he would cave easily," Tulis said.