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U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo address a press conference after a meeting with the North Korean leader, in Hanoi, Vietnam, 28 February 2019. EPA

U.S. President Donald Trump held a press conference with hundreds of reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam, Thursday, after his historic talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that ended without a deal. Below is a full rush transcript of the press conference.

>>Thank you prime minister and president of Vietnam. We're in Hanoi. It's an incredible city, and what's happened over the last 25 years has been incredible for the people of Vietnam, the job they've done, economic development. Really something special.

So I want to thank all of the people of Vietnam for having treated us so well. We have I think reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India. They've been going at it, and we've been involved in trying to have them stop.

And we have some reasonably decent news. I think hopefully that's going to be coming to an end. It's been going on for a long time, decades and decades. There's a lot of dislike, unfortunately. So we've been in the middle trying to help them both out, see if we can get some organization and some peace, and I think probably that's going to be happening. We have Venezuela as you know has been very much in the news, and we're sending supplies. Supplies are getting through a little bit more. It's not easy. It's hard to believe somebody would say let's not do it.

What difference would that make except it's great for his people to let it get through. But we're sending a lot of supplies down to Venezuela. People are starving to death. And you would really think that the man in charge currently would let those supplies get through. We are getting them into some of the cities and some of the areas that need them most, and it's not an easy job. It's very difficult actually.

On North Korea we just left chairman Kim who had a really I think a very productive time. We thought and I thought and Secretary Pompeo felt that it wasn't a good thing to be signing anything. I'm going to let Mike speak about it, but we literally just we spent pretty much all day with Kim Jong-un, who is ― he's quite a guy and quite a character. And I think our relationship is very strong.

But at this time we had some options, and at this time we decided not to do any of the options, and we'll see where that goes. But it was ― it was a very interesting two days. And I think actually it was a very productive two days. But sometimes you have to walk. And this was just one of those times, and I'll let Mike speak to that for a couple of minutes, please.

>>Thank you, Mr. President. We had been working, our teams ― the team that that I brought to bear as well as the north Koreans for weeks so we could make a big step along the way towards what the two leaders had agreed to back in Singapore in June of last year. We made big progress, and indeed we made even more progress when the two leaders met over the last 24, 36 hours.

Unfortunately, we didn't get all the way that ultimately made sense for the United States of America. I think chairman Kim was hopeful that we would. We asked him to do more. He was unprepared to do that, but I'm optimistic. I hope our teams will get together in the days and weeks ahead and work out. It's a very complex problem. We have said since the beginning this would take time.

Our teams have gotten to know each other better. We know what some of the limits are and challenges are, and I think in the days and weeks ahead we can make progress so we can ultimately achieve what the world wants. I wish we could have gotten a little bit further, but I'm very optimistic that the progress that we made both in the runup to this summit as well as the progress that the two leaders made over these past two days put us in a position to get a really good outcome.

And the president and chairman Kim both felt good that they had made that progress, but couldn't quite get along the line any further to make a deal that would have been bigger at this point. I hope we'll do so in the weeks ahead. Thank you, Mr. President.

>>Major, please.

>>Has this process been more difficult than you thought, and was the north Korean demand for lifting of some sanctions the real sticking point here in that you did not want to do that and they did ―

>>It was about the sanctions.

>>Will there be a third summit, Mr. President?

>>Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that. They were willing to denuke a large portion of the areas that we wanted, but we couldn't give up all of the sanctions for that, so we'll continue to work and we'll see. But we had to walk away from that particular suggestion. We had to walk away from that.

>>Will all the sanctions that are currently in existence remain, sir?

>>They're in place. I was watching as a lot of you folks over the weeks have said, oh, we've given up ― we haven't given up anything. And I think frankly we'll be good friends with chairman Kim and North Korea, and I think they have tremendous potential. I've been telling everybody they have tremendous potential, unbelievable potential, and we're going to see. But it was about sanctions. They wanted sanctions lifted but they weren't willing to do an area we wanted. They were willing to give us areas but not the ones we wanted. John?

>>As we know, I mean there's an incredibly complex set of issues that are at play here in terms of lifting sanctions and what denuclearization is. Did you get any resistance towards what ― there's a line of thinking that he wants to keep some nukes. I mean, would you allow him to do that?

>>I want to comment ― excuse me, I don't want to comment on that exactly, but he has a certain vision and it's not exactly our vision but it's a lot closer than it was a year ago. And I think, you know, eventually we'll get there. But for this particular visit we decided that we had to walk, and we'll see what happens. Okay?

>>Look, we have a gentleman nobody's ever heard. Sean Hannity, what are you doing here Sean Hannity? Should we let him do a question?
John, go ahead.

>>So if he wants the sanctions completely off and you want more on denuclearization, how can you bridge that gap?

>>With time I think it'll be bridged at a certain point, but there is a gap. We have to have sanctions and he wants to denuke, but he wants to just do areas that are less important than the areas that we want. We know the country very well, believe it or not. We know every inch of that country, and we have to get what we have to get. Because that's a big give. Yes, Sean, please.

>>I work in radio TV. Mr. President, thank you. Mr. Secretary, thank you. Mr. President, if you could elaborate a little bit more. We have some history. President Reagan walked away, a lot of condemnation at the time, and it ended up working out very well in the end for the United States. Was this mostly your decision, and what message would you want to send chairman Kim as he's listening to this press conference about the future and your relationship?

>>Well, Sean, I don't want to say it was my decision because what purpose is that? I want to keep the relationship, and we will keep the relationship. We'll see what happens over the next period of time. But as you know we've got our hostages back. There's no more testing.

And one of the things importantly that chairman Kim promised me last night is regardless he's not going to do testing of rockets and nuclear ― not going to do testing. So, you know, I trust him, and I take him at his word. I hope that's true. But in the meantime we'll be talking. Mike will be speaking with his people.

He's also developed a very good relationship with the people ― really the people representing North Korea. I haven't spoken to prime minister Abe yet.

I haven't spoken to president moon, South Korea. But we will, and we'll tell them it's a process and it's moving along, but we felt it wasn't appropriate to sign an agreement today. We could have, I just felt it wasn't appropriate. Jonathan?

>>Thank you, Mr. President. Two questions if I may. First, did you learn anything new about chairman Kim through this meeting? And secondly, of course, while this was going on and the drama back in Washington, your former lawyer Michael Cohen who worked for you for ten years, his office right by yours at trump tower, he called you a liar, a con man, a racist. What's your response to Michael Cohen?

>>Well, it's incorrect. And it's very interesting because I tried to watch as much as I could. I wasn't able to watch too much because I've been a little bit busy, but I think having a fake hearing like that and having it in the middle of this very important summit is really a terrible thing. They could have made it two days later or next week, and it would have been even better. They would have had more time. But having it during this very important summit is sort of incredible.

And he lied a lot, but it was very interesting because he didn't lie about one thing, he said no collusion with the Russian hoax. And I said I wonder why he didn't lie about that too like he did about everything else. I was actually impressed that he didn't say, well, I think there was collusion for this reason or that. He didn't say that. He said no collusion, and I was a little impressed by that, frankly. He could have gone all out.

He only went about 95% instead of 100%. But the fact is there is no collusion, and I call it the witch hunt. This should never happen to another president. It's so bad for our country, so bad. You look at this whole hoax, and I call it the Russian witch hunt and I now add the word hoax. It's very bad for our country.

I was impressed with the fact ― the most important question up there was the one on collusion, and he said he saw no collusion, so we'll see what happens. But it was pretty shameful, I think. Yes, ma'am, please.

>>President Trump?

>>How about one of you instead of three.

>>Actually I do have the microphone, I guess so ―

>>Excuse me, excuse me. Person in the front go ahead. No, no not you. Yeah, we'll get to you, thank you.

>>Thank you, president trump. What was the atmosphere like when you walked away from the negotiation table and ―

>>I think it was very good, very friendly. This wasn't a walk away like you get up and walk out. No, this was very friendly. We shook hands.

We ― you know, there's a warmth that we have and I hope that stays. I think it will. But we're positioned to do something very special. This has been going on for many decades. This isn't me. This should have been solved during many presidential runs, and, you know, people talked about it. They never did anything. I get a kick out of so many people from past administrations telling me how to negotiate when they were there in some cases for eight years, they did but I think the relationship was very warm, and when we walked away it was a very friendly walk. Mike, you might want to speak to that for a second.

>>No, I agree. I talked with my counter parts as well. We hope we do more, but everyone's very focused on how we continue to build on this. We were certainly closer today than 36 hours ago and we're closer than we were a month or two before that. So real progress was made. I think everybody hoped we could do this better, but the departure was with an agreement we continue to work on what has been an incredibly difficult problem. Everyone walked away in that spirit.

>>And may I add you and chairman Kim are from very political systems. You are from different generations ―

>>It's a very different system. I would say that's true. We just like each other. We have a good relationship. Yeah, it's a different system to put it mildly, but we like each other. Good relationship. Go ahead in the back. Go ahead.

>>Mr. President, do you think it was premature to have held the summit when all these things had not been tied down? I mean the white house schedule last night it said signing agreement today, and wonder as a follow-up question whether you could sketch out what the next few months look like.

>>You always have to be prepared to walk. I could have signed an agreement today, and then you people would have said, oh, what a terrible deal, what a terrible thing he did. No, you have to be prepared to walk, and there was a potential we could have signed something ― I could have 100% signed something today. We actually had papers ready to be signed, but it just wasn't appropriate. I'd much rather do it right than do it fast. Yes, please, go ahead. Go ahead. Go. First, go. Yeah? You have to speak up.

>>I'm a reporter from south Korea and I appreciate your effort to ad denuclearization on the Korean peninsula, and could you elaborate the various ways you discussed with chairman Kim to denuclearization?

>>We discussed many ways and the denuclearization is a very important word, has become a very well-used word. And a lot of people don't know what it means, but to me it's pretty obvious we have to get rid of the nukes. I think he's going to have a chance to have one of most successful countries rapidly on Earth, too. If you think of it you have on one side Russia and China and on the other you have South Korea and you're surrounded by water. And among the most beautiful shorelines in the world. It's tremendous potential in North Korea, and I think he's going to lead it to a very important thing economically. I think it's going to be an absolute economic power. Yes, go ahead, please. Go ahead.

>>David Sanger from "The new York Times." Six months ago when you spoke or eight months ago in Singapore you said if you didn't have something in six months we should come back and ask you about it. In that time you have seen chairman Kim increase the number of missiles he's produced and continue to produce more nuclear material, and that's been a pressure point on you because he's showing the arsenals getting larger while this is going on.

>>Well, some people, David, are saying that and some people are denying that. They have shots from above, way above. And some people are saying that and some people aren't. But I could have taken that out today. But I think you and others would have said we didn't get enough for what we'd be giving up. And, you know, don't forget we're partners with a lot of countries on this, if you think about it with the sanctions. We have a whole big partnership with the united nations and many countries including Russia, China and others. And then of course South Korea is very important to this whole thing, and Japan. I don't want to do something that is going to violate the trust that we built-up. We have a very strong partnership.

>>So can you just give us a little more detail? Did you get into the question of actually dismantling the complex?

>>Yes.

>>And did he seem willing ultimately to take all of that out?

>>Totally.

>>He just wants all the sanctions off first.

>>He wants the sanctions off, and as you know there's plenty left after that. I just felt it wasn't ― Mike and I spent a long time negotiating and talking about it to ourselves, and I felt that particular ― as you know that facility while very big, it wasn't enough to do what we were doing.

>>So he was willing to do but you wanted to do more than that.

>>There's other things you haven't talked about that we found that the people didn't know about.

>>Including the uranium enrichment plan.

>>Exactly. And we brought many points up. I think they were surprised we knew. If we did the one level and gave up all of that leverage that's been taking a long time to build ―

>>So you're not willing to take off the ―

>>David, I want to take off the sanctions so badly because I want that country to grow. That country has so much potential but we had to give up that deal.

>>There are also timing and sequencing issues associated with that as well that we didn't quite get across that finish line as well. Even that facility in all of its scope which is important for sure, still leaves missiles and war heads and weapons systems. So there's a lot of other elements we couldn't get to.

No deal in Hanoi 2019-02-28 17:16  |  Politics
>>And the listing of all elthem.

>>And the declaration, so all of those things we couldn't get to today.

>>Go ahead.

>>Thank you, Mr. President.

>>Taung.

>>I just wanted to clarify when you talk about what you would be willing to give up all of the sanctions for, are you still thinking that you want north Korea to give up everything to do complete verifiable denuclearization before you lift sanctions?

>>That's a good question. I don't want to say that to you because I don't want to put myself in that position from the standpoint of negotiation, but, you know, we want a lot to be given up. And we're giving up. And we'll be helping them along economically, us and many other countries are going to be helping. They're going to be in there. They're prepared to help. I can tell you, Japan, south Korea, I think China, so many. And speaking of China we're very well on our way to doing something special. But we'll see. I am always prepared to walk. I'm never afraid to walk from a deal, and I would do that with China, too, if it didn't work out.

>>Are you concerned if you're not able to reach an agreement that the testing will start again and that while all of this time they're continuing to develop their program?

>>He said the testing will not start. He said he's not going to do tessing of rockets or missiles or anything having to do with nuclear. And all I can tell is that's what he said, and we'll see. Yes, go ahead please.
Please in the back, in the red.

>>Thank you, Mr. President. Jessica stone from cgtn. I have a question about China as you were talking about. You talk about China being willing potentially to help economically and the fact you will talk to presidents moon and prime minister Abe, how would you describe China's role in facilitating the engagement that's happened so far between pyeongyang and Washington?

>>I think China has been a big on the border 93% of the goods coming into North Korea come through China, so there's a great power there. At the same time I happen to believe that North Korea's calling its own shots. They're not taking orders from anybody. He's a very strong guy, and they're able to do things that are pretty amazing. But 93% still coming from China. China has an influence and China's been a big help, and Russia's been a big help, too. As you know there's a pretty small part of the border but nevertheless significant, about 28 miles.
And things can happen there, and they've been a help. Yes, go ahead please.

>>Thanks, president. Your meeting with chairman king this morning and yesterday, did the topic of China come up? If so, what can you share with us today, and you probably will have the end of the mar-a-lago summit in March with Chinese president XI jinping. What would you like accomplished with your agenda regarding China at the time?

>>We did talk about China today a lot, and he's getting along with China and so are we. And we are ― you know, we're right now ― you look at what's happen today our country and we've picked up trillions and trillions of dollars of net worth. The stock market is almost at its all-time high, our economy is incredible. Our unemployment numbers are among the best we've had in our history. Individual groups like African-American, women, you just take a look at any group, hispanic, you just saw that came out the best in history. African-American the best in history. So many different numbers are coming out. So we have the strongest economy probably possibly that we've ever had.

Fiat Chrysler just announced they're going to spend $4.9 bill wherein in Michigan. It's actually an expansion of another plant. It's going to double up their jobs and even more than that. A lot of great things are happening, and with China they're having some difficulties as you know.

But I think a lot of the difficulties are with the tariffs they're having. And in addition to that we're putting a tremendous amount of money ― you saw trade deficits went down last month and everyone's trying to figure out why, well, we're taking a lot of tariff money. And it has reduced the trade deficit. So we'll see what happens with I think we have a very good chance.

Their numbers are down, but I don't want that ― I want their numbers ― I want them to do great. But wave been losing anywhere from 300 to $500 billion a year with China for many, many years. And, again, like other things many presidents should have done this before me, and nobody did. So we're doing it. Go ahead. Go ahead, please. Right here, this gentleman.

>>What's your message for president moon who has effectively reached the glass ceiling as far as inter-Korean cooperation is concerned due to sanctions, and what's next for U.S. Military drills?

>>I like president moon very we have a great relationship ― believe it or not, I have a great relationship with almost every leader. A lot of people find that hard to understand, but I do. But some take advantage of our country like you wouldn't believe. And when they know I know it, which I know in every case maybe it sort of freezes them up a little bit, but we do. We have a lot of good relationships. I'll be calling President Moon very soon, very soon when we get on the plane. And he will be one of the first calls. I'll be calling prime minister Abe of Japan. President moon is working very he'd love to see a deal, and he's been very helpful. Thank you. Go ahead, please.

>>Thank you, Mr. President. Reporter from global times China. I would like to ask you what you're expecting China to do in the next step to mediate your relationship with North Korea. Thank you.

>>To use China? Well, we do. China's been very helpful. President XI is a great leader, a highly respected leader all over the world, and I would say he's helped us a lot. He has been very helpful at the border and he's been very, very helpful with I think North Korea generally. Could he be a little more helpful, probably. But he's been excellent. Go ahead, please.

>>Thanks, Mr. President. Did you commit with chairman Kim to a next summit during your term?

>>We'll see if it happens. I have not committed.

>>They are at this point some would say a nuclear power. Do you accept North Korea as a nuclear armed state at least for the time being? And are you thinking about reimposing the military exercises with South Korea, or will you keep it in a freeze ―

>>You know, the military exercises, I gave that up quite a while ago because it cost us $100 million every time we do it. We fly these massive bombers in from Guam, and when I first started a certain general said, oh, yes sir, we fly them in from Guam, it's right next door. Right next door is seven hours and then they come and drop bombs and go back. We spend hundreds of millions of dollars on those exercises, and I hated to see it. I thought it was unfair. And frankly, I was sort of the opinion that South Korea should help us with that. You know, we're protecting south Korea. I think they should help us with that. So those exercises are very expensive. And I was telling the generals, I said, look, exercises is fun and it's nice and they play the war game. And I'm not saying it's not necessary because on some levels it is, but on other levels it's not. But it's a very, very expensive and we do have to think about that, too. But when they spend hundreds of millions of dollars on those exercises, we don't get reimbursed, and we're spending a tremendous amount of money on many countries, protecting countries that are very rich that can certainly afford to pay us and then some.
And those countries ― by the way, and those countries know that it's not right. But nobody's ever asked them before, but I've asked them and we're gaining a lot of money. We've picked up over $100 billion just in nato over the last two years, $100 billion. More has come in. And we're doing that with a lot of countries. You'll be seeing that a lot. Yes, sir, please. One second, please.

>>Yes, thank you, Mr. President. You have a personal relationship and I believe vice president pence does with the family of Otto Warmbier. I'm wondering you've talked about this week Kim Jong Un being my friend. You called him on Twitter, you said you had a great relationship. Have you in Singapore or here confronted him about Otto Warmbier's death and what has he said to you, and why do you call him your friend?

>>I have. And I I really don't think it was in his interest at all. I know the Warmbier family very well. I think they're an incredible family. What happened is horrible. I really believe something horrible happened to him, and I really don't think the top leadership knew about it. And when they had to send him home ― by the way, I got the prisoners back and the hostages back. The others came back extremely healthy but Otto came back in a condition that was terrible. And I did speak about it, but I don't believe he would have allowed that to happen. It just wasn't to his advantage to allow that to happen. Those prisons are rough, they're rough places and bad things happened. But I really don't believe that he was ― I don't believe he knew about it.

>>Did he tell you that ― did Kim Jong Un tell you ―

>>He felt badly about it. He knew the case very well, but he knew it later. And you've got a lot of people, big country, a lot of people. And in those prisons and those camps you have a lot of people. And some really bad things happened to Otto, some really, really bad things. He tells me that he didn't know about it, and I will take him at his word. Go ahead in the back. No, in the back behind you. Thank you.

>>Mr. President, have you discussed the issue of possible inspections to north Korean nuclear sights during your negotiation ―

>>You're going to have to speak a little louder. Where are you from?

>>Have you discussed the issue of possible inspections to north Korea's nuclear sites during your talks with the chairman? Inspection sites.

>>Oh, inspections on north Korea?

>>Yeah, inspections ―

>>We'd be able to do that very easily. We have that setup so we would be able to do that very easily. The inspections on North Korea will take place, and if we do something with them, we have a schedule setup that is very good. We know things, as David was asking, about certain places and certain sites. There are sites that people don't know about that we know about. We would be able to do inspections we think very, very successfully. Yes, ma'am, please, please. Yes, go ahead, please. Yes?

>>Thank you, Mr. President.

>>A lot of people here, by the way. We've got a big group of people. Go ahead.

>>Israel, Mr. President. Following this engagement with North Korea you're trying to bring peace to the Middle East.

>>Right.

>>The peace plan is about to be introduced in the near future, and as you have mentioned before ―

>>We hope. We hope, we're working hard on the peace plan ―

>>I believe you do, but as you mentioned before it will require Israel to make compromises to the Palestinians. As far as you know is prime minister Netanyahu willing to make these compromises, which are very much needed? And the second question, Mr. Netanyahu is about to be indicted today with corruption allegations. Do you wish to tell him something on this occasion?

>>Well, I just think he's been a great prime minister, and I don't know about his difficulty, but you're telling me something that, you know, people have been hearing about. But I don't know about that. I can say this, that he's done a great job as prime minister. He's tough, he's smart, he's strong. He is very defensive. His military has been built-up a lot. They buy a lot of equipment from the United States, and they pay for it. Of course we give them tremendous as you know subsidy also. $4 billion is a lot each year. But they are ― they've been very good. They've been incredible actually in many ways, but there is a chance for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. You know, it's interesting. All my life I've heard that the toughest of all deals ― we all like deals. But the toughest of all deals would be peace between Israel and the Palestinians. They say it's like the impossible deal. I'd love to be able to produce it. We'll see what happens. You know, we were paying to Palestinians a lot of money, and I ended that about two years ago because they weren't saying the right things. And I said why would we pay somebody that's not saying nice things about us and not really wanting to go to the peace table. And they've been much better, and we'll see what happens. But I think ― I think we have actually a good shot at peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Yes go ahead, please, sir?

>>Mr. President, I'm from my question is do you still believe if it is possible that the North Korea and U.S. Region could be like the U.S. and Netanyahu relation in the future?

>>Go again.

>>Do you still believe it's possible the relation between U.S. And North Korea in the future, could it be like the relation between the U.S. And Vietnam?

>>Yeah, we have very good relations. And by the way, speak of you mentioned Japan, we have a lot of good things happening with Japan. We have trade talks started. For years Japan has been sending millions and millions of cars in. And as you know it's not been a fair situation with the united States. They actually started about three months ago, and I think we'll have a very good deal for the United States. But that's been a very unfair situation. Prime minister Abe understands that, and that's fine. Yes, sir, please, back there.

>>Thank you, Mr. President. Shanghai media group. Do you think that the next meeting could be soon or might take some time?

>>Well, I can't tell you. It might be soon, it might not be for a long time. I can't tell you. I would hope it would be soon, but it may not be for a long time. I could have done a deal today, but it would have been something I wouldn't have been happy about, Mike would not have been happy about. We had some pretty big options, but we just felt it wasn't appropriate, and we really want to do it right. Yes, in the back. Yes, ma'am, please.

>>At which point did it become clear to you you wouldn't be getting a deal here from Hanoi.
The language from yourself and Kim Jong-un was very positive last night and even this morning. So therefore was it mystique ―

>>I think the language was good all throughout. The language is good even now. I don't go by language. And yet we became very friendly. I don't believe there was any tougher language than that. But again this was something that should have been handled by other presidents long before me. But it wasn't. I'm not just blaming the Obama administration, which by the way, it did nothing, nothing. Absolutely nothing on north Korea. It allowed things that happened and to happen that were very inappropriate. But I'm not blaming the Obama administration, I'm blaming many administrations. Something should have happened. But I don't think the rhetorics been bad at all. Initially it was horrible, but now it's been very good. One more. How about you, go ahead, please. Go ahead. Go ahead.

>>From South Korea. I'd like to ask you, you said you do not know when the north Korean leader will be willing to come to the table and take the actions that's been required. If that's the case, would the U.S. Be willing to strengthen the sanctions and perhaps put the pressure on North Korea to move forward ―

>>I don't want to comment on that. I can just tell you this, we were very strong sanctions. I don't want to talk about increasing sanctions. They're strong. They have a lot of great people in North Korea that have to live also, and that's important to me. And I would say this. My whole attitude changed a lot because I got to know, as you know chairman Kim very well. And they have a point of view also. So I don't want to really talk about that. I just think that hopefully for the sake of South Korea, for the sake of Japan and frankly for the sake of China ― I was talking to president XI, who really is a man that gets the respect of a lot of people. I say you can't love having a nuclear state right next to China, and he doesn't. He really doesn't. He would like to see that problem solved, too. So that's it. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I'm about to get on a plane and fly back to a wonderful place called Washington, D.C., so thank you very much. Thank you, thank you.

Thank you very much.