Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. was still working toward having a June 12 summit with North Korea over its nuclear program, on the same day the White House signaled the meeting may not take place.
President Donald Trump said in the Oval Office Tuesday there was a "very substantial chance" the meeting between him and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un may not occur on its scheduled date and place of June 12 in Singapore. The Trump administration is pursuing full denuclearization by the country's rogue regime and has signaled it will provide and security and prosperity in exchange.
"We will do what it takes to make sure that this is a successful meeting," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.
He added he was not a "betting man" and would only predict the U.S. would be ready if the summit did occur. Pompeo, who has met with Kim and helped secure the release of three Americans held captive by North Korea earlier this month, said he had gotten the sense that it would benefit from American investments.
"I do have a real sense that [Kim] would find American investment, American technology, American know-how of real value to his people, and it's something that he and I had a chance to speak about generally, and I do think it's something that if we get this right and we get denuclearization right, that America would be quite capable of delivering them with lots of things that would make life better for the North Korean people," he said.
Like Trump, Pompeo cautioned the meeting may not take place.
"We are working to make sure that there's a common understanding about the contents of what will be discussed, but I'm optimistic, but again, this could be something that comes right to the end, and it doesn't happen," Pompeo said. "As the president, said, we'll see."
He demurred when asked about potentially delaying the meeting and what issues, logistical or otherwise, might cause it to be delayed.
"We're still working towards June 12," he said.