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Report: Trump sends ‘Rocket Man’ gift to Kim Jong Un
It may be a long, long time before North Korea joins the free world — but that hasn’t stopped President Donald Trump from giving its leader, the “Little Rocket Man,” a special gift.
The president reportedly sent Kim Jong Un a CD, signed by the Trump himself, which features Elton John’s 1972 hit “Rocket Man.”
Trump gifts Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” CD
President Trump reportedly entrusted the delivery of the special gift with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who arrived in North Korea on Friday for another meeting to discuss denuclearization after last month’s historic summit between the two countries. A South Korean newspaper, the Chosun Ilbo, reported that Pompeo will deliver the CD to Kim with a letter from the president.
The gift comes a year after Trump taunted Kim Jong Un over Twitter, calling him both “Little Rocket Man” and simply “Rocket Man.” Trump also threatened the North Korean leader with “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
Kim at the time fired back, calling Trump a “dotard.”
But that war of words was a distant memory at the summit in Singapore last month, when the subject of the Elton John song reportedly came up. Citing a diplomatic source in Washington, the Chosun Ilbo reportedthat Kim recalled the “Rocket Man” insult over lunch with Trump.
“The ‘Rocket Man’ CD was the subject of discussion during Trump’s lunch with Kim. Kim mentioned that Trump referred to him as ‘rocket man’ when tensions ran high last year,” a source told the Chosun Ilbo. “Trump then asked Kim if he knew the song, and Kim said no.”
Trump apparently later asked Pompeo to bring a copy of an Elton John CD with “Rocket Man” on his next visit to North Korea.
Pompeo to discuss specifics of agreement
Trump seems to be hopeful that Kim Jong Un is not the man we think he his at home. Sources told the South Korean paper that his gifts reflect Trump’s belief that Kim will follow through on his promises he made with Trump last month.
Pompeo shared a tweet expressing the president’s optimism on Friday, writing:
I spoke with @POTUS while we were both in the air. The President told me he believes that Chairman Kim sees a different, brighter future for the people of North Korea. We both hope that’s true. @statedept pic.twitter.com/HO55qby222
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 6, 2018
But skeptics of Trump’s peaceful overtures have noted that the agreement he reached with Kim Jong Un lacked specifics. Pompeo is in North Korea to discuss the terms of that agreement in greater detail.
“On this trip, I’m seeking to fill in some details on these commitments and continue the momentum toward implementation of what the two leaders promised each other and the world,” Pompeo said. “I expect that the DPRK is ready to do the same.”
