Trump Pulls the Plug on Pompeo’s Half-Hearted Hike to Pyongyang
In a move that had the world watching—and a good chunk of the domestic press shaking their heads—President Donald Trump called off Mike Pompeo‘s planned visit to North Korea. Trump did the same after Pompeo received a sharply worded note from a senior North Korean official the very morning the trip was announced.
Who Sent the Belligerent Brief?
The Washington Post rolled out details that the letter arrived from Kim Yong Chol, the vice‑chairman of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee. He’s been in charge of previous talks with Pompeo, so you could say he “tunnel‑visioned” the conversation.
How “Belligerent” Is Too Belligerent?
While the exact wording wasn’t publicized, the note was scuffed enough to leave the American leaders hanging. Vanishing that was, Trump and Pompeo decided the mission was “not worth the hassle.”
The Original Plan
The trip had been flagged a day earlier, with Pompeo intending to introduce Stephen Biegun, a newly appointed special envoy, to his North Korean counterparts. The intention seemed sweet, but it got buried under a bureaucracy‑style spat.
Inquisition vs. Response
State Department folks responded by pointing to the White House, and they didn’t immediately reply. “We keep on keeping on,” they said, which basically means “hit the brakes.”
Trump’s First Public Slip‑Up
Calling off the trip, Trump finally admitted that his drive to nuke‑free North Korea was stuck in a cul‑de‑sac. This could be the first time he takes a public blowback from a “vague” negotiations attempt.
North Korea’s Hot Take
North Korea’s state media posted a flaming “double‑dealing” rant against the United States and claimed that “the U.S. is concocting a criminal plot” against North Korea—but not in reference to the canceled visit. They probably missed the tea.
Why the Trip Might Not Have Ended the Revolution
US intelligence and defence officials have frequently voiced doubts about North Korea’s possible surrender of its nuclear Arsenal. They didn’t foresee Pompeo’s trip turning into a Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Maybe that’s why it was on the “needs to be cancelled” list.
In short, the front‑line remains locked: Trump cancels a visit, a letter fuels the drama, and the folks on both ends keep messing around with diplomatic etiquette—but the big shots are asking: “Who’s got the real power now?”
