Bill Richardson: Trump comments on Warmbier ‘almost a human rights violation’

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson blasted President Trump for deflecting blame from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the death of American Otto Warmbier.

Richardson, who was involved in U.S. efforts to secure Warmbier’s release, told CNN on Thursday that Trump’s comments practically amounted to a “human rights violation.”

“It’s unfortunate. It’s almost a human rights violation,” Richardson said of Trump’s comments. “The president should know better. And what should happen is a full accounting: Kim Jong Un should say, to his intelligence people, ‘let’s tell the truth on this.’ But they’re not going to do it.”

“It’s almost a human rights violation,” former ambassador to the UN @GovRichardson tells @KateBolduan about President Trump saying he does not hold Kim Jong Un responsible for Otto Warmbier’s death. https://t.co/x12QXUonlY pic.twitter.com/2u2FKVycWG

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) February 28, 2019

Warmbier was held by North Korea and died from his injuries after being released to the U.S.

It’s “inconceivable that Kim Jong Un wouldn’t know” about Warmbier’s treatment in custody, Richardson said.

{mosads}Richardson was asked by CNN’s Kate Bolduan if Trump’s remarks made other U.S. travelers in North Korea more vulnerable.

“Well, any American hostage around the world, especially in a regime like Russia, [is],” Richardson responded. “Doesn’t give the families of American hostages much strength, or faith in their own government.”

The former U.N. ambassador and former New Mexico governor’s comments come following President Trump’s second summit with Kim Jong Un, this time in Hanoi, Vietnam. At a press conference, Trump appeared to shift blame from Kim for Warmbier’s 2017 death.

“I don’t believe he knew about it,” Trump said of Kim at a press conference on Thursday. “He tells me that he didn’t know about it, and I will take him at his word.”

The remark drew immediate condemnation from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Republicans.

“We must remember Otto, and we should never let North Korea off the hook for what they did to him,” said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who represents Warmbier’s home state, hours after Trump’s comments.