Bob Corker suggests timing of Trump meeting with Kim Jong Un could slip
President Trump's announced meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will happen — but it may not happen in May, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker told CBS News' "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan.
South Korea's national security adviser had originally said the meeting would take place by May. Corker, who is retiring from the Senate after this year, said the administration doesn't know "exactly when it's going to occur."
"I think ultimately it happens. I do," Corker told Brennan in an interview airing Sunday. "And I think that that's the way the president likes to deal with things. And I think that what you're going to see is — people who have a lot of institutional knowledge prepping for the meeting. You've seen the administration sort of move away from an instant meeting. They've — said that — you know, well, they don't know exactly when it's going to occur."
Corker suggested the realities of the extensive preparation needed for the meeting takes "awhile." The location of the meeting has yet to be determined.
"Well, I think you're seeing that happen because the realities of what you have to do in preparation to make sure that it's successful," Corker said. "It takes a while for that to occur. We do have back channels ourselves, by the way, to North Korea. And — you know, we have our ways of setting things like that up in an appropriate manner."
Mr. Trump shocked Washington and the world when South Korea's national security adviser announced in front of the White House that the president has agreed to meet with Kim, whom he has called "little rocket man."
"Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze," Mr. Trump tweeted after the meeting was announced. "Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!"
The full interview with Corker will air on CBS ' "Face the Nation" Sunday at 10:30 a.m.