Former Obama aide says Trump lied about past attempts to meet with Kim

Ben Rhodes said early Sunday that President Trump was lying when he said the Obama administration repeatedly attempted to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un only to be rebuffed.

“Trump is lying. I was there for all 8 years. Obama never sought a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Foreign policy isn’t reality television it’s reality,” Rhodes, who served as former President Obama’s deputy national security adviser, tweeted.

Trump is lying. I was there for all 8 years. Obama never sought a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Foreign policy isn’t reality television it’s reality.

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 30, 2019

“Photo ops don’t get rid of nuclear weapons, carefully negotiated agreements do,” added Rhodes, who is now a political commentator. “Trump’s foreign policy is a failure – from NK to Iran to Venezuela.”

Photo ops don’t get rid of nuclear weapons, carefully negotiated agreements do. Trump’s foreign policy is a failure – from NK to Iran to Venezuela. https://t.co/cpBiWPb1N0

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 30, 2019

{mosads}Trump said earlier Sunday during a news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that Obama “wanted to meet, and Chairman Kim would not meet him.”

“The Obama administration was begging for a meeting. They were begging for meetings constantly. And Chairman Kim would not meet with him,” Trump added. 

The president made the comments before making history on Sunday by crossing into North Korea as part of a meeting with Kim in which he and the North Korean leader agreed to restart stalled nuclear talks.