During his meeting with Kim Jong-un earlier this month, CIA Director Mike Pompeo talked about the release of three U.S. citizens that are held in North Korea.
A senior White House official who is not authorized to publicly discuss the sensitive discussions spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity and confirmed Pompeo’s attempt.
At a press conference Wednesday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. and North Korea are negotiating for their release, adding, “We are doing our very best.”
The official stated that Trump hoped that they will be released soon.
Trump also said that he thinks “there’s a good chance of doing it,” meaning about his potential talks with Kim. The President also pledged to pressure his North Korean counterpart to free Japanese abductees that are held in North Korea.
The President also said that the U.S. is “fighting very diligently” to win freedom for the three Americans detained in North Korea. Trump added that “we’re having a good dialogue” with the North Koreans and he plans to proceed with the meeting but he’ll cancel if he doesn’t think it will be successful.
However, he did not answer directly when asked if he intends to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un at the proposed summit if the Americans are still being detained.
Meanwhile, White House officials have shed some light on the confusion over when CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s meeting with Kim Jong Un in North Korea happened.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that the meeting happened “last week” and “went smoothly.” But two White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to the AP that the trip took place over Easter weekend, and not last week as Trump had tweeted. Easter was on April 1.
Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week are at Trump’s International Golf Course in Florida where they discuss the Japanese concerns about the meeting.
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