President Trump accused the media of brushing off the news that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un extended an invitation to meet with Trump in the days after the announcement was made and called the coverage of the potential meeting “fake.”
“In the first hours after hearing that North Korea’s leader wanted to meet with me to talk denuclearization and that missile launches will end, the press was startled & amazed. They couldn’t believe it. But by the following morning the news became FAKE. They said so what, who cares!” Trump tweeted Saturday.
In the first hours after hearing that North Korea’s leader wanted to meet with me to talk denuclearization and that missile launches will end, the press was startled & amazed.They couldn’t believe it. But by the following morning the news became FAKE.They said so what, who cares!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2018
Trump also suggested he believes Pyongyang will adhere to its pledge not to conduct missile tests ahead of their meeting.
“North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!” he tweeted.
North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2018
South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong told reporters outside the West Wing on Wednesday that North Korea invited the president to meet with Kim Jong Un. “President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization,” he said.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders then confirmed Trump accepted the invitation from Pyongyang, and said details including time and place were still being worked out.
Sanders told reporters Friday that North Korea would have to meet preconditions for the meeting with Trump to occur.
“The president will not have the meeting without seeing concrete steps and concrete actions take place by North Korea,” she said. “Look, they’ve got to follow through on the promises they’ve made.”
Media outlets interpreted those comments as Sanders hinting that the meeting was not a sure thing, a suggestion Trump refuted Friday night.
“The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined,” he tweeted.
If Trump does sit down with Kim Jong Un, it would mark the first time a sitting U.S. president has met with a North Korean leader.
