Trump tells Secretary of State Pompeo to cancel North Korea trip

close

Video

North Korea working to create wedge in Trump administration?

Pyongyang accuses 'high-level officials' in the Trump administration of going against the president's will and 'inciting international sanctions and pressure' against North Korea; reaction from Jeff Mason, White House correspondent for Reuters.

President Trump on Friday told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel his planned trip to North Korea, citing a lack of “sufficient progress” with the rogue regime on denuclearization, while also slamming China.

“I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Trump tweeted. “Additionally, because of our much stronger trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place).”

He added moments later: “Secretary Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved. In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!”

The president’s directive came after Pompeo’s announcement Thursday that he would travel to the country next week.

A state department spokesperson told Fox News that both Pompeo and Special Envoy Beigun’s travel to North Korea has been postponed, and that the decision was made by the President in consultation with his national security team.

Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un engaged in a historic summit in June in Singapore, where the dictator promised to work toward “complete denuclearization.” Despite that agreement, the rogue regime is possibly constructing new intercontinental ballistic missiles.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the intelligence assessment told Fox News late last month that Kim’s regime is pushing forward with building ICBMs.

Also last month, The Washington Post reported that satellite images appeared to indicate North Korea’s possible construction of ICBMs at the same facility the country produced its first long-range missiles, including the Hwasong-15, which may have the capability of hitting the U.S. East Coast.

North Korea launched its first successful ICBM on July 4, 2017.

Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson and Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.