U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again, but so far, his overtures have gone unanswered. Could former NBA star Dennis Rodman help revive the relationship?
Rodman joined Trump’s entourage Thursday as the president spoke at a truck factory in Denton, Texas, before traveling to a campaign rally in Durant, Oklahoma. No official explanation was given for Rodman’s presence, although the former basketball player has a local connection to Durant from his college playing days.
Rodman’s appearance alongside Trump comes as the president seeks to arrange another face-to-face meeting with Kim, with whom he held three summits during his first term.
The former NBA star has maintained a friendly relationship with the North Korean leader and has previously spoken publicly about his personal ties to Kim.
"When I wanted to get to know Kim Jong Un when we're having a problem, Kim Jong Un and I get along. But the one who knew him best was Dennis Rodman," Trump told workers at the Peterbilt factory in Denton.
Rodman sat nearby on the back of a semi-truck. The Basketball Hall of Famer wore a black Chicago Bulls hat, studded black jeans and a shirt depicting himself lifting a trophy.
As Rodman subsequently joined the presidential motorcade for the ride north to Oklahoma, he told Reuters that he hoped to speak with Trump about "life."
Asked whether he planned to travel to North Korea anytime soon, the basketball legend responded, "If you buy the ticket."
During his first term, Trump held three high-profile meetings with Kim, including a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone, but has not staged a similar event since returning to the presidency.
Trump has called Kim a friend he can work with despite North Korea's belligerent rhetoric and embrace of nuclear weapons.
The president is scheduled to attend the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum next month in China and could theoretically add a meeting with Kim to that trip.
"He likes Trump, doesn't like a lot of other people," Trump told reporters Tuesday at the White House. "I'm about the only person in the entire world that he likes, and I like him."
