Clapper disputes Trump claim that Obama wanted to meet with Kim

Source: The Hill | June 30, 2019 | Alexander Bolton

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Sunday disputed President Trump’s claim that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un refused a meeting with Barack Obama when he was president.

A puzzled look came over Clapper’s face during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” when he saw a clip of Trump claiming that “President Obama wanted to meet, and Chairman Kim would not meet him.”

“The Obama administration was begging for a meeting. They were begging for meetings constantly, and Chairman Kim would not meet with him,” Trump added during a news conference earlier Sunday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Clapper flatly denied that claim.

“In all the deliberations that I participated in on North Korea during the Obama administration, I can recall no instance whatever where President Obama ever indicated any interest whatsoever in meeting with Chairman Kim,” Clapper said. “That’s news to me.”

Trump’s claim was also disputed earlier in the day by Obama’s deputy national security adviser.

“Trump is lying. I was there for all 8 years. Obama never sought a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Foreign policy isn’t reality television it’s reality,” Ben Rhodes tweeted.

………

“I personally don’t believe the North Koreans have long term any intent to denuclearize,” he said. “Why should they? It’s their ticket to survival, and they’re just not going to do that.”

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