WASHINGTON: The White House on Thursday (Apr 26) released two photographs of then Secretary of State-designate and CIA chief Mike Pompeo's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

It was Kim's first known meeting with a US official.



The meeting took place in North Korea in late March over the Easter weekend, and Kim and Pompeo discussed what could become a historic summit between the two countries possibly as early as in May.



The photos show Kim and Pompeo, who was confirmed as secretary of state on Thursday, shaking hands. In one they faced each other looking serious; in the other they both appeared to wear faint smiles.

The photos were released by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on her official Twitter account, after Pompeo was confirmed to his new post.

Her tweet said that Pompeo "will do an excellent job helping @POTUS lead our effort to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula".

President Donald Trump teased the existence of the photos during a phone interview with Fox News on Thursday morning, saying: "He wasn't supposed to meet with Kim Jong Un, but he did.

"We have incredible pictures of the two talking and meeting which I would love to release if we can. I will do that. Not a bad idea."



Trump also said he was considering three or four dates as well as five locations for his meeting with Kim, although once again he added that it remained unclear whether the meeting will occur.

"It could be that I walk out quickly - with respect - but ... it could be that maybe the meeting doesn't even take place," he told Fox News by telephone. "Who knows?"</s>Image copyright Sarah Sanders/Twitter Image caption Mr Pompeo secretly met the North Korea leader in Pyongyang earlier this month

The US Senate has confirmed former CIA director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, ending a tough confirmation battle.

Mr Pompeo had been accused by Democrats of being a war hawk and harbouring anti-Muslim and homophobic views.

The Senate voted 57-42 to approve him as America's top diplomat, the second of the Trump presidency.

His predecessor, Rex Tillerson, was sacked last month by the president via Twitter amid a personality clash.

Republican senators, who control the upper chamber, voted unanimously on Thursday to confirm Mr Pompeo. Six Democrats joined them.

Some of those Democrats - including North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp and West Virginia's Joe Manchin - come from states that President Donald Trump won in 2016.

The approval comes in time for Mr Pompeo - a former hardline conservative congressman from Kansas - to lead a US delegation to Nato foreign minister talks in Brussels this weekend.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Pompeo: War should always be the last resort

In a statement, Mr Trump applauded his new secretary of state as someone who "will always put the interests of America first".

"Having a patriot of Mike's immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history," he added.

Mr Pompeo has been arranging a summit between Mr Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. The meeting could happen in the coming months.

A man out front

Analysis by Barbara Plett, State Department Correspondent, BBC News, Washington

Mike Pompeo is a man of action and all indications are he plans to be out front as Secretary of State. As a Trump loyalist and foreign policy hawk he's the exact opposite of his predecessor Rex Tillerson.

But he aims to use the former to gain clout amongst the key Cabinet and White House players determining America's relations with the world. And on the latter he's tried to convince senators that he'll pursue "relentless diplomacy."

He's been at it already with his secret trip to North Korea, and can be expected to continue to take the lead in preparing for the summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un. But he believes the administration's hardline approach of sanctions backed by the credible threat of force is what forced the North Korean leader to the table and has pledged to maintain the pressure until the talks yield concrete results.

He doesn't like the Iran nuclear deal but says he'd prefer to fix it rather than scrap it. Democrats are sceptical, but he'll have a lot of work to do if Trump does abandon the accord, since there's no set formula for what that would mean.

Pompeo has also pledged to restore the State department's "swagger" in the wake of Tillerson's disastrous management of the building, and is already focused on filling the many vacancies.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tweeted a photo of Mr Pompeo watching on TV as the Senate held their vote.

State department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Twitter that Mr Pompeo told her he is "delighted to be Secretary of State, completely humbled by the responsibility and looking forward to getting to work".

Less than an hour after he was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, he boarded a military plane for Belgium.

"No other Secretary of State in modern history has travelled so soon after confirmation," said Mrs Nauert.

Before he was confirmed, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker described him as the "perfect person to come in at this time and lead" talks with North Korea.

Over the Easter holiday he travelled to Pyongyang, where he met Mr Kim.

Mrs Sanders tweeted photos of the two from that trip after Mr Pompeo's confirmation, saying "he will do an excellent job".

On Tuesday, Mr Trump described the North Korean ruler as "very honourable", after months of deriding him as "Little Rocket Man".

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also congratulated Mr Pompeo following the confirmation vote.

After travelling to Brussels he will next go to Israel, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

During that trip he will also visit Saudi Arabia and Jordan to "discuss critical and bilateral issues", according to a statement from the state department.</s>Senate votes 57-42 to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be Trump's second secretary of state

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate votes 57-42 to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be Trump's second secretary of state.</s>Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 13, 2018. Leah Millis/Reuters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.</s>Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File). In this April 12, 2018, photo, Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his confirmation on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Trump’s nominee for secreta...

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File). In this April 12, 2018, photo, Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his confirmation on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Trump’s nominee for secreta...

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File). FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo Mike Pompeo smiles after his introduction before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation for him to become the next Secretary of State on Capitol Hill in ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

Mike Pompeo has been sworn is as secretary of state.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito swore Pompeo in Thursday afternoon at the Supreme Court.

From there, Pompeo was expected to rush to Andrews Air Force Base, where an aircraft was waiting to whisk him to Europe for his first trip as secretary. Pompeo is expected to travel to Brussels before heading on to the Middle East.

Pompeo's nomination was confirmed by the Senate earlier Thursday on a 57-42 vote. It was one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history.

President Donald Trump applauded the confirmation of his former CIA director as secretary of state, calling him a "patriot."

President Donald Trump is applauding the Senate's confirmation of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state.

Trump says, "Having a patriot of Mike's immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history."

He adds that Pompeo "will always put the interests of America first," and says the outgoing CIA director has his full trust and support.

Pompeo on Thursday secured the votes of 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent.

It was one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history.

Pompeo is expected to be sworn into office immediately and then depart within hours of the vote for Europe on his first trip as secretary of state.

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Pompeo's confirmation narrowly made it out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday after last-minute support from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. He's expected to have an easier time in the full Senate, though the tally will still likely be close.

If confirmed, Pompeo will replace Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by President Donald Trump on Twitter last month.

Pompeo is expected to be sworn in almost immediately. A long list of pressing issues awaits him including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File). FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo Mike Pompeo smiles after his introduction before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation for him to become the next Secretary of State on Capitol Hill in ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Mike Pompeo as the nation’s 70th secretary of state.

The final tally was 57 to 42, with five Democrats and one independent siding with Republicans to approve the current CIA director’s nomination to his new post.

The Democrats voting to confirm Pompeo included Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Bill Nelson of Florida and Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

All are up for re-election this fall in states President Donald Trump won in 2016.

Pompeo was expected to be sworn in following the vote and then board a plane at Joint Base Andrews to head to a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium.

The vote to confirm came after Pompeo faced the prospect of not receiving a positive referral from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week.

However, Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul switched his vote from “no” to “yes” shortly before the vote, citing assurances he received from Trump and Pompeo.

Pompeo easily sailed through his Senate confirmation as CIA director on the same day as Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.

The vote was 89 in favor, with only eight opposing, all of whom were Democrats.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted last week that confirmation of secretaries of the state in the past has been a broadly bipartisan undertaking, pointing specifically to the examples of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, both of whom received the backing of 94 senators.

The White House spokesperson went on to highlight Pompeo’s credentials, noting he was “top of his class at Harvard (Law School). First in his class at West Point. He’s been an impeccable CIA director.”

Trump tweeted on Monday that Democrats in the Senate were opposing Pompeo purely for political reasons.

RELATED: Musgrave: Here’s Why Liberals Don’t Want Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State

“Hard to believe Obstructionists May vote against Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State,” Trump said Monday via Twitter. “The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people, including the Ambassador to Germany. They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans!”

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters last week, “The trust that President Trump has in Director Pompeo, including having him represent the president and country in those initial talks with North Korea — that tells you how the president is already viewing Director Pompeo as the nation’s chief diplomat.”

In addition to the upcoming anticipated talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Trump also has to decide by May 12 if he will re-certify the Iran nuclear deal.

What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.</s>Mark Wilson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The Senate has confirmed Mike Pompeo as the 70th secretary of state by a 57-42 vote.

Six Democrats and one Independent voted to confirm Pompeo: Heitkamp, Donnelly, Manchin, McCaskill, Jones, Nelson, and King (I).

Every Republican supported his confirmation, with the exception of Sen. John McCain who is still in Arizona battling brain cancer and was not present for the vote.

Pompeo faced unprecedented opposition to his becoming the nation’s top diplomat – many Democrats who just last year voted to confirm him as CIA director publicly opposed him as the next secretary of state.

Last year, Pompeo had little trouble clinching the confirmation to be the director of the CIA. He was confirmed by the full Senate in a 66-32 vote at the time.

It is very unusual for a secretary of state nominee to face such opposition.

Past secretaries of state, including Condoleezza Rice, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton have breezed through their respective confirmations.

“I realize my Democratic friends in many cases feel like that in supporting Pompeo, it’s a proxy for support of the Trump administration policies, which many of them abhor. I understand that” Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee said last week on the Senate floor.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Monday along party lines to send Pompeo’s nomination to the Senate floor with a favorable report.</s>The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It’s one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration’s efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.</s>The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent.

WASHINGTON — The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It’s one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration’s efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Pompeo’s confirmation narrowly made it out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday after last-minute support from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. He’s expected to have an easier time in the full Senate, though the tally will still likely be close.
The United States Senate votes 57–42 to confirm former CIA Director Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State.