The White House released photos on Thursday of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Mike Pompeo, the newly confirmed secretary of state, taken during his Easter weekend trip to North Korea.
Pompeo traveled to North Korea and met with Kim to prepare for the planned upcoming summit between the North Korean leader and President Donald Trump.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released the photos on Twitter showing Pompeo and Kim standing together shaking hands.
Sanders tweeted the two photos shortly after the Senate confirmed Pompeo to be secretary of state. At the time of Pompeo's secret trip to North Korea, he was the director of the CIA.
"Great to have Secretary Pompeo confirmed," Sanders tweeted. "He will do an excellent job helping @POTUS lead our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. (photos from previously confirmed Easter weekend trip)"
Great to have Secretary Pompeo confirmed. He will do an excellent job helping @POTUS lead our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. (photos from previously confirmed Easter weekend trip) pic.twitter.com/o4RNDKVmah
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) April 26, 2018
Pompeo's trip, which was considered a favorable step forward by many–even Democratic lawmakers–helped earn him support for his bid to be America's top diplomat. Prior to the trip, it remained unclear if he would be confirmed, as the majority of Democrats and a couple of Republicans had voiced objections to his nomination.