Our live coverage has ended, but you can read more about President Donald Trump’s visit to North Korea Korea here:
After President Donald Trump took 20 unprecedented steps into North Korea Sunday, reaction quickly poured in from 2020 Democratic hopefuls on the campaign trail.
Here’s what some of the candidates are saying:
Sen. Bernie Sanders said he has “no problem” with Trump meeting with Kim Jong-un, but said the issue he took was with Trump’s “incredible inconsistencies.”
“I don’t want it simply to be a photo opportunity, the whole world’s media was attracted there,” Sanders said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said diplomacy is not as easy as bringing a hot dish over the fence to the dictator next store; there needs to be a clear focus and a clear mission and clear goals.
“I don’t think we know it works until there is results,” Klobuchar told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
The Joe Biden campaign put out a statement, slamming Trump for his relationship with dictators.
“President Trump’s coddling of dictators at the expense of American national security and interests is one of the most dangerous ways he’s diminishing us on the world stage and subverting our values as a nation. This past week he yet again fawned over Kim Jong-un – to whom he’s made numerous concessions for negligible gain – joked with Vladimir Putin about our election security and ‘getting rid’ of journalists, and even expressed sympathy for Turkey buying Russian missiles,” the former vice president’s spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. “His conduct reinforces that we urgently need a president who can restore our standing in the world, heal relationships with key allies Trump has alienated, and deliver real change for the American people.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted, “Our President shouldn’t be squandering American influence on photo ops and exchanging love letters with a ruthless dictator. Instead, we should be dealing with North Korea through principled diplomacy that promotes US security, defends our allies, and upholds human rights.”
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper disputed President Donald Trump’s claim that President Barack Obama wanted to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Clapper, appearing Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said that Trump stepping into North Korea is a “great historic moment” but said he personally does not believe the North Koreans have long-term any intent to denuclearize.
“I think it’s a great historic moment … and it’s the first time a sitting president ever set foot in North Korea,” Clapper, now a CNN national security analyst, told CNN’s Brianna Keilar when asked if it was a breakthrough moment in US-North Korea relations. “I think when it comes to the hard business of negotiating here, I think that’s another story. I personally don’t believe the North Koreans have long term any intent to denuclearize.”
Clapper questioned why North Korea would denuclearize.
“Why should they,” he said. “It’s their ticket to survival.”
Clapper looked puzzled after watching a clip of Trump saying that the Obama administration begged for a meeting with Kim.
“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. I just – that’s news to me.”
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun held secret discussions at the DMZ to set up the meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean president Kim Jong Un, a U.S. senior official tells CNN.
The discussions were held the night before the two leaders met.
Officials became more confident Saturday morning that the possibility of the leaders meeting was real enough that a wider range of people were brought in and planning was in full swing, the official tells CNN.
Pope Francis has praised the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday saying, “in the last hours, we have assisted in Korea a good example of a culture of dialogue.”
He added that the meeting “constitutes a step further in the walk of peace. Not only on that peninsula but in the entire world.”
The remarks were made at the conclusion of the weekly Sunday Angelus Prayer held in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
During his journey back to America, US President Donald Trump has tweeted about his trip to the DMZ.
He said it was a “great honor” to stand “on the soil of North Korea,” which he described as “an important statement for all.”
President Trump has departed South Korea, concluding his four-day, three-night visit to Asia.
Air Force One left Osan Air Base at 6:09 a.m. ET (7:09 p.m. local time), roughly 90 minutes behind schedule.
Trump was originally due back in Washington D.C. at 8:15 p.m. ET.
US President Donald Trump crossed the low stone curb separating the North and South at 3:45 p.m. local time, making his way alongside a grinning Kim into a country that’s long been a global pariah for its nuclear ambitions and dismal record on human rights.
In total Trump took 20 steps into North Korea, making history as the first serving US leader to set foot in the hermit kingdom.
The event, seemingly spontaneous and broadcast live, took to a new level Trump’s showman instincts and view of diplomacy as a test of interpersonal skills.
Later, Trump said he was “proud to step over the line” and thanked Kim for the meeting. He invited him to the White House, though later acknowledged such a visit would likely not come soon.
Special adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-In, Chung-in Moon, told CNN that he was “surprised” to see US President Donald Trump invite North Korean leader Kim Jong Un onto South Korean territory.
He added that it was also “quite unusual and quite surprising” to see Trump in the Freedom House with Kim “which belongs to South Korean territory.”
“I think what happened this afternoon of today really shows that the military demarcation line is an artificial one,” Chung-In told CNN.
Donald Trump has told US troops at South Korea’s Osan Air Base that his “unexpected” meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was “great.”
“That’s a great country with tremendous potential,” the US President said. “I have a good relationship with chairman Kim, they were giving us a great briefing at the DMZ.”
As for his walk into North Korean territory, Trump called it a “historic moment and a very good moment.”
“Everybody was so happy and many people I noticed from Korea were literally in tears, crying.”
US President Donald Trump has arrived at Osan Air Base, south of South Korea’s capital, Seoul.
Here he’ll deliver brief remarks to US troops.
The Blue House – the South Korean presidential office – has tweeted photos of US President Donald Trump meeting troops at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), along with photos of Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In signing the wall of the base.
Moon signed his name next to Trump’s along with “The ROK-US alliance (is) together for security and peace.”
US President Donald Trump has departed the Korean demilitarized zone after a historic crossing of the North Korea border and longer-than-expected talks with Kim Jong Un.
He is en route to Osan Air Base south of Seoul, where he will deliver brief remarks to US troops.
US President Donald Trump says he “thinks” the North Korean negotiators whom his team dealt with in earlier talks are still alive.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Kim Jong Un, Trump said at least one – he didn’t name him – was verified to be living.
“I think they are. I can tell you the main person is,” Trump said. “I would hope the rest are too.”
South Korea’s largest newspaper said earlier this month that a North Korean diplomat involved in the US talks had been executed by firing squad. But CNN later confirmed he is alive and in state custody, according to several sources familiar with the situation.
Another official reported to be purged, Kim Yong Chol, was later photographed at an art performance with Kim Jong Un.
Trump said Sunday the two sides had agreed to restart working-level talks. The US side will be led by Stephen Biegun, who was already responsible for negotiations with North Korea.
It’s unclear whether North Korea’s team will also remain the same.
One word that was barely mentioned by US President Donald Trump on Sunday was “denuclearization.”
The former State Department Special Representative for North Korea, Joseph Yun, told CNN he believes Trump is “beginning to understand that denuclearization is going to be a long, long struggle” and something that is impossible within his first term, let alone his second – if he’s reelected.
“This is why he keeps on saying ‘we have all the time, there is no hurry.’ He’s shifting his goal, lowering the bar.”
Trump instead spent Sunday focusing on his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
US President Donald Trump said that he asked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if he would “like” him to cross the border into North Korea, and that Kim said he would be “honored.”
“I asked him, ‘Would you like me to come across the line?’” Trump told reporters. “He said he would be honored.”
Trump added he “didn’t know” what Kim would say. The two leaders then immediately set foot in North Korea together.
Nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea had appeared to come to something of a standstill in recent weeks ahead of today’s historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
Their last meeting: Trump and Kim last met face-to-face at the end of February in Hanoi, Vietnam. But their second summit ended early without an agreement, with both sides claiming the other over-reached.
In the weeks that followed the collapsed summit, there was little word of any progress between the two sides.
What comes next: Following his meeting with Kim today, Trump said talks would resume, led by special representative Steve Biegun.
Biegun said earlier this month that “the door is wide open” for talks to continue, but noted that “US-North Korean diplomacy has been in something of a holding pattern” since Hanoi.
The focus of previous talks led by his team where on further progress towards North Korean denuclearization. Trump barely mentioned that word when he talked about today’s meeting with Kim, however, focusing instead on his personal relationship with the North Korean leader.
Pyongyang’s big focus is on getting sanctions relief. Trump said after meeting with Kim that sanctions will remain in place for now, but indicated they could be relaxed if talks go well.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader gives “hope to 80 million Korean people.”
US President Donald Trump says he agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to restart talks after nuclear negotiations stalled earlier this year.
“We just had a very, very good meeting with Chairman Kim,” Trump told reporters after parting with Kim at the Korean border.
The US team would be led by the current US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said Trump, adding, “Good luck, Steve.”
Trump said the teams would begin working and meeting over the next two to three weeks, but insisted he wasn’t looking to rush into an agreement.
“Speed is not the object,” Trump said. “Nobody knows how things turn out.”
Watch Trump’s remarks here:
As US President Donald Trump escorted Kim Jong Un back over the border to North Korea, Kim said, “The fact that we will be able to meet each other anytime now, I think this is the signal this meeting will send.”
Kim was walking with Trump and South Korean President Moon.
The leaders spoke for nearly one hour.
