Free Republic

The U.S. is calling out China and Russia for helping North Korea violate United Nations sanctions as the regime smuggles in more oil than is allowed. The illegal transfers are now disrupting the U.S. talks with North Korea and its push for the regime to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. Pompeo traveled to New York Friday to join Haley for a meeting with the U.N. Security Council representatives, including Chinese and Russian representatives, for what Haley called "frank talk." "We put pressure today...

HANOI, Vietnam — Undeterred by a blistering rebuke of his efforts to forge a denuclearization deal with North Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday appealed for North Korea’s leadership to follow Vietnam’s path in overcoming past hostilities with the United States. Pompeo called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to replicate Vietnam’s “miracle” of economic growth by improving ties with the U.S., vowing that America keeps its promises with former foes. Speaking to members of the U.S.-Vietnamese business community in Hanoi, Pompeo said Vietnam’s experience since the normalization of relations with the U.S. in 1995 should...

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday shrugged off North Korea’s accusation of the U.S. making “gangster-like” demands regarding denuclearization, saying he’d “go nuts” if he paid attention to everything the media reports. In a trilateral news conference in Tokyo, accompanied by officials from Japan and South Korea, Pompeo reaffirmed the U.S. goal of complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, reiterating that his talks with North Korea last week were conducted in “good faith.” When a reporter asked about North Korea’s Saturday comments, Pompeo didn’t seem too bothered. “Look, people are going to make stray comments after...

Looks like the two sides of the North Korean nuclear crisis have their wires crossed. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo led two days of talks with the Kim regime and offered a positive take on progress as he left Pyongyang. The North Koreans disagreed: BREAKING: North Korea Foreign Ministry says talks with Pompeo 'regrettable,' accuses US of unilateral demands for denuclearization.— The Associated Press (@AP) July 7, 2018 North Korea says high-level talks with a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were “regrettable” and has accused Washington of trying to unilaterally pressure the country into abandoning...

IRS officials provide new details on enforcement of law Congress passed in late 2015 At least 362,000 Americans with overdue tax debts will be denied new or renewed passports if they don’t settle these debts, the Internal Revenue Service says. Recently IRS officials have provided new details on the enforcement of a law Congress passed in late 2015. It requires the IRS and State Department to deny passports or revoke them for taxpayers who have more than $51,000 of overdue tax debt. Enforcement began in February. An IRS spokesman says the 362,000 people are current tax debtors who are affected...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly brought a CD with the Elton John song “Rocket Man” to give as a gift to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to the country. Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Friday amid talks between the two countries over denuclearizing North Korea. Pompeo brought two gifts for Kim, including a letter from President Trump and the CD, according to The Chosun Ilbo, a top newspaper in South Korea. Last year, amid escalating rhetoric between the two countries, Trump repeatedly referred to Kim as “Rocket Man” and “Little Rocket Man.” A diplomatic...

A Chinese official is warning the U.S. to "exercise caution" following a report that the State Department wants to send a small team of Marines to guard a diplomatic facility in Taiwan. The State Department requested that a Marine Security Guard detachment be dispatched to the American Institute in Taiwan, a de facto embassy in Taipei City, CNN reported Friday. The news prompted a swift response from a Chinese foreign ministry official, who reminded Americans of the "one-China policy" meant to prevent the U.S. from having direct diplomatic or military exchanges with Taiwan. "[Those] are the political preconditions for...

A bipartisan pair of senators penned a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to withdraw the Trump administration's nominee to a high-profile role over concerns that he has "spread misinformation" about immigrants and displayed a "lack of empathy" towards refugees.

The United States joins people around the world in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Pride Month, and reaffirms its commitment to protecting and defending the human rights of all, including LGBTI persons. In many parts of the world, LGBTI individuals and their supporters continue to face violence, arrest, harassment and intimidation for standing up for their human rights, participating in peaceful marches and rallies, expressing their views, and simply being who they are. LGBTI persons – like all persons – must be free to enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly,...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that reaching a denuclearization deal with North Korea will mean allowing the U.S. to inspect ALL of its nuclear sites, including those North Korea hasn't acknowledged. "I don't want to get too far into the details, but when you think about complete denuclearization, it would certainly be all of their sites, not just those that have been declared."...."So, we've got to make sure that it's complete," Pompeo added. "That takes a great deal of work, a great big commitment on the part of North Korea as well, and there'll be a parallel set...

Secretary Michael Pompeo met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Washington on Wednesday. The two discussed areas of mutual interest and opportunities for our countries to increase cooperation. The Secretary underscored the importance of maintaining a vibrant civil society. The Secretary also emphasized the urgent need to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, including the importance of facilitating and supporting Ukraine’s engagement with NATO, and the need to counter Russian malign influence in Central Europe. Both sides agreed that Europe should diversify its sources of energy and discussed increasing U.S. investment in Hungary. The Secretary and Foreign...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech on Monday outlining President Trump's new strategy to counter the Islamic Republic of Iran: Intensify the Iranian regime's ongoing liquidity and political crisis to induce fundamental changes in behavior across a range of malign activities. In short, maximum diplomacy backed by maximum pressure. Pompeo's speech today was a reply to the critics of the administration's Iran policy who have argued that Trump had no "Plan B" for the day after his May 8 decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. That deal gave the Islamic Republic patient pathways to...

"We called the White House and they acted swiftly on the Friday event, which has since been postponed," said a staff member for Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who complained that the event would have openly undermined President Donald Trump’s agenda on Cuba."The event in question has been postponed," a State Department official confirmed."This (event) was designed to embarrass the president and Pompeo—somebody needs to be held to account," one source said. "The fact that State Department officials were advancing a program that is so slanted and completely at odds with the president's directive on Cuba, I am concerned what...

The United States is willing to help North Korea with its economy if the North gets rid of its nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday. Pompeo held a joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha the day after he returned from Pyongyang with three American detainees released by North Korea. Pompeo said the goal of talks with North Korea is complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He also said he had "good" and "substantive" conversations with leader Kim Jong Un during his visit. Kang said there must be "airtight" coordination between South...

At 3:02 am Thursday morning, President Trump welcomed three American hostages previously held in North Korea back to the United States and  celebrated their freedom."This is a great honor.  Hopefully everything is going to work out at the highest level.  We want to thank Kim Jong-un, who really was excellent to these three incredible people.  They are really three incredible people.  And the fact that we were able to get them out so soon was really a tribute to a lot of things, including a certain process that's taking place right now.  And that process is very important," President...

Americans' homecoming. VP President already arrived at AFB. Secretary Of State Pompeo should land shortly with freed Americans.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to return from North Korea with three American detainees, as well as details of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump, a South Korean official said on Wednesday (May 9).

The Latest on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the release of three Americans from North Korea (all times local): 11:50 a.m. President Donald Trump is hailing the release of three Americans detained in North Korea as they make their way back home. Trump says as he kicks off a Cabinet meeting at the White House that he "appreciates" North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's decision to release the detainees ahead of the leaders' planned summit. He says he's looking forward to the meeting and believes it's going to be a great thing for North Korea....

As the New York Times was bashing Mike Pompeo for being missing in action while President Trump tore up the Iran nuclear deal, it turned out the secretary of state was busy rescuing three Americans who have been held captive in North Korea. In an apparent jab at the administration, The Times’ headline said, “At a Key Moment, Trump’s Top Diplomat Is Again Thousands of Miles Away.” The Times’ story noted that “Senior State Department officials were momentarily speechless on Tuesday when asked why Mr. Pompeo did not delay his trip by a day to be in Washington during Mr....

Three American hostages held by the North Korean regime have been released by Dictator Kim Jong Un and are on their way home. President Trump made the announcement Wednesday morning and said Kim Hak-song Kim Dong Chul and Kim Sang Duk are in good health.  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...