NY Times Slams Pompeo as AWOL, Learns He Was Securing Release of Americans from NK
The New York Times dinged the Trump administration on Tuesday over the absence of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during President Trump’s announcement that the United States was pulling out of the Iran nuclear agreement; however, the recently sworn-in chief diplomat was on his way to North Korea, where he secured the release of three American prisoners.
The Times headlined, “At a Key Moment, Trump’s Top Diplomat Is Again Thousands of Miles Away.”
The story drew a parallel between former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson being out of the country in March when Trump announced his intention to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and Pompeo not being on hand for Tuesday’s announcement about exiting the Iran deal.
“(W)hen Mr. Trump made what could be the most significant diplomatic announcement of his presidency — that he would exit the Iran nuclear agreement— his chief diplomat was again thousands of miles away, this time on an unannounced visit to Pyongyang, the North’s capital, to lay further groundwork for a summit meeting between Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump,” Gardiner Harris wrote for The Times.
“Senior State Department officials were momentarily speechless on Tuesday when asked why Mr. Pompeo did not delay his trip by a day to be in Washington during Mr. Trump’s Iran deal announcement. Mr. Pompeo left for Pyongyang on Monday night,” Harris added.
The journalist went on to note that the administration was hopeful that Pompeo would leave North Korea with the three imprisoned Americans.
Brian Flood at Fox News found it “curious why the (Times’) headline attempted to paint his trip in a negative light.”
“It turned out that Pompeo’s absence was more than justified,” Flood contended. “The detainees — Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song and Kim Dong Chul — are presumably thankful that Pompeo didn’t push back his trip to satisfy European diplomats.”
Pompeo also helped arrange a date and location for Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong Un, according to a series of tweets by the president on Saturday, who plans to be on-hand when his secretary of state touches down at Andrews Air Force base outside of Washington, D.C., early Thursday morning.
“I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting,” Trump wrote. “They seem to be in good health.”
“Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un,” he added. “Date & Place set.”
I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018
Trump stated it will be “very exciting” to meet the three freed Americans.
Secretary Pompeo and his “guests” will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018
The release of Kim, Song, and Chul in apparent good health is no doubt all the more gratifying news for Trump, in light of last summer’s return of American college student Otto Warmbier from North Korea.
The 22-year-old came back to the U.S. in a coma after a year-and-a-half in prison for attempting to steal a propaganda poster. Warmbier died shortly after being reunited with his family.
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