White House Confirms Reports of Attempt to Deliver Personal Letter to North Korea
The White House announced on June 11 (local time) that President Donald Trump wants to see progress in relations with North Korea similar to that achieved during the first U.S.-North Korea summit held in Singapore in 2018. The White House also stated that he remains open to exchanging letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt said at a briefing that day, "The President remains receptive to exchanging letters with Kim Jong Un," adding, "He would like to see the progress that was made in Singapore during his first term happen again."
This remark was made in response to questions about media reports that North Korea had rejected a personal letter sent by President Trump to Kim Jong Un.
Earlier, U.S.-based North Korea-focused media outlet NK News reported, citing anonymous sources, that President Trump, seeking to restore the U.S.-North Korea communication channel, attempted to deliver a personal letter to North Korean diplomats based in New York, but they refused to accept it. The outlet also reported that President Trump's attempt to send the letter was aimed at resuming the dialogue that had taken place during the U.S.-North Korea summit in his first term.
Spokesperson Leavitt neither denied these reports nor confirmed them, but her comments are interpreted as indicating that President Trump remains open to progress in U.S.-North Korea relations.
She explained, "I will leave it to President Trump to respond regarding any specific exchange of letters."
Meanwhile, spokesperson Leavitt said that President Trump expressed gratitude to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who recently criticized him, after Musk posted an apology on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying he "regretted" his actions. She also explained that the federal government has never reviewed any contracts already signed with Musk's companies.
President Trump also said in a phone interview with the New York Post that day, regarding Musk's apology, "I think his actions were very admirable."
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