President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un abruptly ended their second summit early on Thursday and canceled a scheduled lunch and signing ceremony. Trump and Kim "had very good and constructive meetings" in Hanoi, the White House said in a statement. "No agreement was reached at this time, but their respective teams look forward to meeting in the future." While reporters were waiting for Kim and Trump to show up for lunch after a round of talks that included advisers, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was heading back to his hotel and would give a news conference two hours earlier than expected, at 2 a.m. EST.
The summit had been cordial and even friendly before its abrupt end. About an hour earlier, Trump had sounded cautiously optimistic, saying "we'll ultimately have a deal," but that "doesn't mean we're doing it in one day, in one meeting." He added there's no "rush" for North Korea to denuclearize, though "I appreciate no testing." In what's believed to be a first, Kim took questions from foreign reporters, saying through a translator that "it's too early to say" whether there will be a deal but "I would not say I’m pessimistic." Asked about denuclearization, Kim said, "If I'm not willing to do that ... I won't be here right now." "That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard," Trump said. But Trump also answered a question directed at Kim about human rights in North Korea. "We're discussing everything," Trump said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of ChristmasCartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
-
Inside the house of AssadThe Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
-
Sudoku medium: December 22, 2024The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setbackSpeed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump caseSpeed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdownSpeed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdownSpeed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdownSpeed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorismSpeed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about BidensSpeed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes chargesSpeed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
