Department of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis remained tight lipped about North Korea this weekend, just days after it was revealed Trump would accept a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“I do not want to talk about Korea at all. I will leave it to those who are leading the effort, the State Department and the [National Security Council], for the president, because it’s that delicate,” Mattis told reporters on Sunday.
“When you get into a position like this, the potential for misunderstanding remains very high or goes higher,” he said.
Mattis emphasized that every word said at this point would “be nuanced and parsed” apart from various cultures and contexts, and added he was confident the White House and State Department would keep reporters “well informed.”
A South Korean official announced Thursday evening that Pyongyang extended an invitation to Trump to meet with Kim.
“President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization,” South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong told reporters.
Trump reacted to the announcement on Twitter Thursday, touting “great progress.” He said North Korea will not be conducting missile tests in the meantime, but sanctions will be remain in place “until an agreement is reached.”
He echoed similar sentiments at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
“I think North Korea is going to go very well,” he said. “I think we will have tremendous success … they promised they wouldn’t be shooting off missiles in the meantime, and they’re looking to de-nuke. They’re gonna be great.”
