Trump swears he 'feels so badly about Otto Warmbier' and without his death summit would not have happened
During his Tuesday interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump admitted he felt bad that American hostage Otto Warmbier was handed a death sentence in North Korea's jails.
“I’m interested because I noticed some of the press. And some of the press would say, he’s meeting with them, and he’s got a major loss. I said it, since when? Others want to do and it never worked out, it probably never could have worked out," Trump told Hannity.
He maintained, the United States "really have gotten a lot." He listed the ceasing of missiles for the past several months and getting some of the American hostages back.
"We got our hostages back and you are right, we didn’t pay for that. He did such a smart thing, and I feel so badly about Otto Warmbier, that was the one thing thing," Trump continued. "He did not die in vain. I actually believed, and I’ve gotten very friendly with his parents. They are incredible people, devastated as you can imagine."
Trump went on to say that he doesn't think he could have been able to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un without the death of Warmbier.
"I think without him, this whole thing wouldn’t have happened because it crystallized when he came back in that condition," Trump said. "It crystallized so much to so many people will come maybe even to the other side, quite frankly. I think that he truly did not die in vain.”
The president did not explain how the death of an American while being held hostage in North Korea led to peace, however.
Watch below:
This summit process began with a snap decision by Trump to accept an offer to meet with Kim. The most significant result may be Trump’s new confidence that he uniquely understands the North Korean leader. This will further reinforce the defining dynamic of Trump’s presidency so far: Ignore the experts, trust your gut.
AFP / John SAEKI