No money paid to N Korea for Otto Warmbier: Trump

ANI
26 Apr 2019, 19:33 GMT+10

Washington [USA], Apr 26 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Friday said that no money was paid to North Korea for the release of US student Otto Warmbier, who was detained by the reclusive state while on a college trip there in 2016.

"No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two million dollars, not anything else. This is not the Obama administration that paid 1.8 billion dollars for four hostages or gave five terrorist hostages plus, who soon went back to the battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!" Trump tweeted.

Quoting a 'Chief Hostage Negotiator, USA,' Trump added: "President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in the last two years. No money was paid."This comes after reports of North Korea slapping a USD two million medical bill on the United States for Warmbier emerged in American news outlets on Thursday.

The Washington Post alleged that the US had signed a pledge to pay the bill before releasing the US student in 2017, after holding him captive for almost a year. Warmbier, who was in a vegetative state, died just six days after returning home to the US.

After the second summit with the North Korean leader in Vietnam in February, Trump said that he does not hold Kim responsible for Warmbier's death.

The American student suffered severe brain damage during his captivity. The Trump administration placed intense pressure on Pyongyang to release Warmbier when they learned of his condition. (ANI)

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