When President Trump and Kim Jong Un meet, it will be the result of strenuous diplomacy by officials from the U.S., North Korea and other countries. Here are some of the key figures at the summit.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has traveled twice to Pyongyang to pave the way for this summit. A former Kansas Congressman and harsh critic of the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran, Pompeo has played a key role in setting the stage for Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong Un. He traveled to Pyongyang twice this year, once as CIA director and soon after he was confirmed as secretary of state, both times meeting with Kim. He’s trying to convince North Korean officials that they have a “bright future” — but only if they give up their nuclear weapons.
John Kelly, President Trump’s second chief of staff, has served in that position for more than 10 months. Previously, Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, was Trump’s secretary of homeland security. Kelly told NPR in May that Trump is going into his talks with the North Korean leader with “his eyes wide open.”
John Bolton, President Trump’s national security adviser, has a long history of friction with North Korea. Bolton was a sharp critic as President George W. Bush’s representative to the United Nations in 2005-2006. He has called for “regime change.” Last month, Bolton caused a stir when he suggested North Korea could follow the “Libya model” to dismantle its nuclear program. Libya agreed to abandon its program in 2003, but leader Moamar Gadhafi was killed in 2011. Given this history, and Bolton’s hardline positions on North Korea, he’s expected to keep a relatively low profile at the Singapore summit.
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