*By Alisha Haridasani*
Kim Jung-un's willingness to tone down his rhetoric and reconsider a meeting with President Trump is a result of the president's “good negotiating,” a Republican spokesperson said.
A day after Trump [cancelled](https://cheddar.com/videos/trump-cancels-north-korea-summit-leaving-its-fate-in-kim-jong-uns-hands) his planned summit with the North Korean leader, Kim said Friday he was ready to come back to the table “at any time.”
Trump applauded Kim’s openness, and the president told reporters that U.S. officials were still talking with the North Koreans.
“That’s what good negotiating looks like,” said the Republican National Committee spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany. “President Trump knows when to walk away.”
Trump’s decided to cancel the June meeting in Singapore after North Korean officials threatened to pull the plug on the meeting themselves in response to seemingly threatening comments from Vice President Mike Pence about regime change.
North Korea's unpredictability is not new, but the recent changes of directions are different, McEnany said, noting there have been tangible results from talks with Pyongyang. The North Koreans appear willing to still consider talks, they released three American hostages, and they destroyed their nuclear test site on Thursday.
“These are acts of good will, indications of seriousness,” she said.
“In the least, we are going to walk out of this with three free Americans,” said McEnany. “That’s a very good thing and more than past presidents have gotten.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rnc-stands-by-michael-cohen-despite-ongoing-investigation).
President Trump escalated his war of words with Anthony Scaramucci on Monday, calling the Mooch "highly unstable" in an early morning tweet storm. Scaramucci joined Cheddar to unpack the string of insults and to discuss the coalition of former cabinet members he is assembling to stop Trump in 2020.
Nearly a thousand Twitter accounts were blocked and several Facebook pages taken down on Monday in a coordinated effort by the social media platforms to curb misinformation campaigns spread by the Chinese government against protesters in Hong Kong.
San Jose could become the first city in the U.S. to implement a novel ordinance aimed at curbing gun violence: requiring gun owners to carry liability insurance.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said on Friday that she will not visit her family in the West Bank due to the conditions required by the Israeli government. The decision follows a reversal by Israel, which first barred her from the country and later granted her entry on humanitarian grounds.
In Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir, over one million people woke up last week to a complete telecommunications blackout. The blackout was mandated by the Indian government, which just hours later would unilaterally strip the disputed territory of its autonomy status.
Recently passed legislation in New York City will track commercial storefronts, giving the city a comprehensive database on building vacancies for the first time ever.
Former two-term Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has officially dropped out of the 2020 race, slimming the Democratic field to just over two-dozen.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019.
An unofficial coalition of far-right extremist groups are set to descend on Portland, Oregon this weekend and the city’s mayor has a clear message for them: you are not welcome.
J.D. Durkin made his way to an Iowan raceway and watering hole as the Hawkeye State hosts the many candidates vying for the primary election.
Load More