President Donald Trump has confidence in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his diplomatic strategy with North Korea, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday — a day after Trump appeared to undermine Tillerson's efforts.
"He does, yes," Sanders told reporters at the daily press briefing, adding she believes the two have spoken since Trump tweeted Sunday that Tillerson was "wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," and that he should "save your energy."
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert later responded diplomatic channels are open "for now" but "won't be open forever."
Sanders on Monday said the United States would only be willing to speak about the return of three Americans currently detained in North Korea, The Hill reported.
"We've been clear that now is not the time to talk," she said. "The only conversations that have taken place or that would would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained . . . Those were the type of conversations that this administration would be willing to have. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time."
Asked if an unwillingness to talk meant the president had given up on a diplomatic solution to nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula, Sanders replied, "There's a difference between talking and putting diplomatic pressure," Politico reported.
"We still strongly support putting diplomatic pressure on North Korea, which we're continuing to do, but now is not the time simply to have conversations with North Korea."
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