After arriving in Pyongyang early Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has successfully negotiated the release of three US citizens being held in the communist state, and is now on his way back to Washington with the hostages in tow.
President Donald Trump revealed as much in a series of congratulatory tweets Wednesday morning, Trump revealed that Pompeo and his “guests” will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 am Thursday, adding that the president will be “there to greet them.”
Trump hailed Pompeo’s second visit to the North in little over a month as a success, saying the hostages “seem to be in good health” and adding that a “date & place” for the historic US-North Korea have now been set following a “good meeting” with Kim Jong Un.
I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018
Secretary Pompeo and his “guests” will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018
Pompeo said earlier that the North’s release of the three US citizens would be a “great gesture,” noting the US has been asking for their freedom for 17 months.
Pompeo was earlier expected to bring the three captives through the inter-Korean border, but the Cheong Wa Dae official said that will likely not be the case. All three of the US citizens are said to be Korean-Americans. Pompeo famously met with Kim Jong Un during a clandestine visit to North Korea over Easter Weekend. Last week, Rudy Giuliani angered Trump by announcing on live television that the US had secured the release of the hostages, when in fact negotiations were still ongoing.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-05-09/trump-says-pompeo-returning-north-korea-three-hostages