Donald Trump Thanks Kim Jong Un For Being “Excellent” To The 3 US Prisoners
American President Donald Trump has a new attitude towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, thanking him for his “excellent” treatment of three US prisoners.
The three Korean-American prisoners, Tony Kim, Kim Haksong and Kim Dongchul, who had been accused of anti-state activities, returned home to a welcome ceremony attended by President Trump and the First Lady.
Donald Trump praised Kim Jong Un for his treatment of the US prisoners, despite the fact that they had been imprisoned for a year or more. One had even been sentenced to 10 years of hard labor.
“We want to thank [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un, who really was excellent to these three incredible people. I really think [Mr Kim] wants to do something. Talks between his administration and the North Korean Government have never been taken this far.” — President Trump
Last year, when 22-year-old US prisoner Otto Warmbier was released from North Korea in a vegetative state and died just days later, President Trump condemned Kim Jong Un for failing to “respect the rule of law or basic human decency” and mourning the latest victim lost to the “brutality of the North Korean regime“.
Now that Kim Jong Un has released the prisoners ahead of the leaders’s planned meeting in June, President Trump’s attitude towards North Korea has changed drastically.
After arriving on US soil, Kim Dongchul was asked how he was treated while a prisoner. He paused before answering, “We were treated in many different ways. For me, I had to do a lot of labor. But when I got sick, I was also treated by them.”
While diplomatic rhetoric ahead of a historic peace meeting is to be expected, some netizens are not happy with President Trump’s description of Kim Jong Un.
Trump says Kim Jong Un was "excellent to these three incredible people", if you overlook the tiny, not-so-excellent part about where he held them as hostages against their will.https://t.co/rnY2Vqu97s
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) May 10, 2018
I wonder if trump had to do hard labor in North Korea he would think he was being treated excellently
— Natalie Chutkan (@nbchutkan) May 10, 2018
One prisoner didn't see the sun for many months and was crunched up in a tiny pitch black room. Kim Jong Un is not excellent in any way like the moronic stupid orange bafoon thinks.
— Kdiviesti (@kdivies1) May 10, 2018
KJU playin' him like a fiddle…
— GB (@MyFurKidsMom) May 10, 2018
Good that they were released and safely returned home but #KimJongUn kidnapped them for the sole purpose of using them as a bargaining chip. You're playing beautifully into his hand. I feel you are woefully unaware, unfit and unable to see you're being played.
— Alicia M.❄ (@ShopgirlAlic) May 9, 2018
THIS. Kim Jong Un has never been and will never be "excellent." His regime uses kidnappings and imprisonment for coercive political purposes. By heaping praise on him and preparing to make major concessions in exchange we are playing right into his hands. https://t.co/d7QbXAO2kB
— Mira Rapp-Hooper (@MiraRappHooper) May 10, 2018
While others are defending the president’s diplomacy for the sake of peace.
Why not let peace Break out? This is a step in the correct direction! Should trump bomb NK like obama did to Libya? Would that make you happy?
— rothschildish (@rothschildish2) May 10, 2018
Maybe there is a method to the madness. He also called him Rocketman. And now we are seeing peace.
Don’t listen to Trumps words. Watch what he does
— Simone (@Nyc1Simone) May 10, 2018
Donald Trump is MY President!#NorthKorea #NorthKoreanPrisoners #Peace #DoingTheImpossible #KimJongUn @realDonaldTrump @POTUS #TheTwoPresidentsMeet #Amazing #FridayMotivation #FridayFeeIing #MyPresident https://t.co/FviDM3xAVN
— Leslie (@Leslie91780) May 11, 2018
President @realDonaldTrump got three Americans released from prison in North Korea and next he is also getting them to give up their nuclear weapons. This man is a hero! He deserves some ACCOLADES!
1000 Retweets please!
— Oluyemi Fasipe 🇳🇬 (@YemieFASH) May 11, 2018
Although opinions are divided over President Trump’s comment, everyone agrees that the ex-detainees’s safe return is definitely worth celebrating.
