Secretary of State Pompeo doesn’t expect ‘truth’ from N. Korea as he downplays missile tests – By Brian Niemietz (New York Daily News) / May 5 2019
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo doesn’t seem concerned that North Korea has resumed missile testing — nor does he have much faith in what dictator Kim Jong Un has to say.
Pompeo appeared on Sunday’s “Face the Nation,” two days after the North Koreans fired seven missiles into the Sea of Japan. The rogue nation’s rocket testing — which tapered off following President Trump’s historic 2018 meeting with Kim in Singapore — coincides with stalled talks for the West to loosen sanctions if the North Koreans dial back their nuclear arms program. Photos of Kim observing the rocket launches emerged Sunday.
“We don’t expect chairman Kim to tell us the truth,” Pompeo told the CBS news program. “We’re not going to take anyone’s word for it.”
The tests came less than a week after National Security Adviser John Bolton confirmed on Fox News that the Trump administration agreed to pay $2 million for the release of mortally injured American student Otto Warmbier, but did not make good on the deal. The Washington Post earlier reported that the North Koreans had submitted an invoice for the imprisoned man’s medical costs.
“President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in last two years. No money was paid.” Cheif Hostage Negotiator, USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2019
The President tweeted confirmation that “No money was paid” — citing an unnamed “Cheif Hostage Negotiator, USA!”
Also on Friday, Warmbier’s mother Cindy was in Washington D.C., where she called State Department negotiations with Kim a “charade” and urged the U.S. to “keep the pressure” on the despot leader.
“How can you have diplomacy with someone that never tells the truth?” Warmbier asked. “He lies, lies, lies.”
