Pompeo tells CNN's Jake Tapper that he is 'very hopeful' ahead of Trump-Kim summit

(Image credit: CNN/screen shot)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday's edition of State of the Union that while North Korea remains a nuclear threat at this juncture, he is "very hopeful that we'll make a substantial step towards achieving" full denuclearization.

Pompeo refused to divulge any specific information, but he did say that while last year's summit between the two heads of state was "nice," Trump is now focused on achieving a "real step, a demonstrable, verifiable step" toward a resolution.

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Pompeo also told Tapper that the "core economic sanctions" placed upon North Korea will remain in place until the country fully eliminates its nuclear arsenal, but he did add that loosening some other unspecified sanctions is a possibility if the summit results "in a substantial step" toward denuclearization. "We could certainly provide an outlet which would demonstrate our commitment to the process, as well," he said.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.