White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed on Monday that President Trump has received another letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Sanders said at the daily White House Press Briefing that the President received “a very warm, very positive letter” from Kim. “The primary purpose of the letter was to request and look to schedule another meeting with the president, which we are open to,” she said.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders says Pres. Trump received “a very warm, very positive letter” from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“The primary purpose of the letter was to request and look to schedule another meeting with the president, which we are open to.” pic.twitter.com/likCQTZa5o
— ABC News (@ABC) September 10, 2018
Sanders added that the administration is “already in the process of coordinating” a second meeting.
The letter signified “further evidence of progress in that relationship” between the two leaders, she noted.
Sanders said President Trump’s policies have “achieved tremendous success,” citing the returned remains of U.S. soldiers slain in the Korean War, U.S. hostages, discontinued ballistic or nuclear weapons testing, and the latest anniversary parade that excluded long-range missiles or nuclear developments.
On Friday, President Trump told reporters that he was expecting the letter. “A letter is being delivered to me, a personal letter from Kim Jong Un to me. That was handed at the border, I don’t know if you know that, but it was handed at the border yesterday,” he said aboard Air Force one, according to CNN.
The letter was given to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Thursday.
“It’s being delivered. It’s actually an elegant way. The way it used to be many years ago before we had all the new contraptions that we all use,” President Trump said. “But a letter is being delivered to me and I think it’s going to be a positive letter.”
This letter marks the second letter from Kim to President Trump since the two leaders’ historic summit.
On Aug. 2, President Trump thanked Kim for his “nice letter,” adding, “l look forward to seeing you soon!”
Thank you to Chairman Kim Jong Un for keeping your word & starting the process of sending home the remains of our great and beloved missing fallen! I am not at all surprised that you took this kind action. Also, thank you for your nice letter – l look forward to seeing you soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2018
An official familiar with the plans of a second meeting said there is a “strong possibility” that the two leaders will meet again “sometime later this year.”
Progress has reportedly stalled between the two nations on denuclearization discussions first established at the June 12 summit.
Both sides have been unwilling to progress in the negotiations until certain conditions are met.
At a recent meeting between North Korean and South Korean officials, an official from the North said that Kim has “unwavering trust for President Trump,” CNN reported.
Kim is also reportedly open to moving forward with denuclearization if the U.S. would meet certain measures.
