The logo for the Daily Beast's Obsessed website. It reads: 'Obsessed: What to Watch, Binge, See, & Skip'
DAILY BEAST
Membership call to action crossword iconCrosswordNewsletters
  • Gift Guides
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Israel-Gaza
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Sales
      • Reviews
      • New Kids on the Block
      • Beauty
      • Fitness
      • Home
      • Technology
      • Travel
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      T.V.subvertical orientation badge

      John Oliver Blasts Trump’s White House Meeting With North Korea: ‘A Propaganda Coup’

      STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

      The ‘Last Week Tonight’ host also called out the president for lying to the press—and by extension, the American people—about reading Kim Jong Un’s massive letter.

      Marlow Stern

      Marlow Stern

      Updated Jun. 04, 2018 6:09AM EDT / Published Jun. 04, 2018 5:15AM EDT 

      HBO

      “This week, the June 12th summit between the U.S. and North Korea was suddenly back on after Trump met with a North Korean envoy who’d brought him this gigantic, comically-oversized letter from Kim Jong Un,” said John Oliver. “And as if smiling while holding a letter from a dictator were not enough of a propaganda coup for North Korea, the president then raved about the letter to the press.”

      On Friday, President Trump met with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol at the White House, with the official indeed hand-delivering a huge letter from Kim Jong Un before posing for photos with a smiling Trump. After the hand-off, Trump announced that their summit was happening again after pulling out of it on May 24 via letter.  

      Addressing a gaggle of press following their meeting, Trump said, “It was a very interesting letter… At some point, it may be appropriate… I’ll be able to give it to you, maybe.”

      Oliver tackled the meeting—and Trump’s strange reaction to it—on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight. “As infuriating a president as Trump is, he would be an even worse Moses. Oh, wouldn’t you like to see what’s on these tablets? How much? How much? Maybe I’ll show you later, if you’re lucky,” he joked of the cliffhanger-esque tease to the press.

      And then, just eight minutes letter during that same press chat, Trump confessed, “I haven’t seen the letter yet… I may be in for a big surprise, folks!”

      In other words: He lied, and then casually admitted to lying during the very same talk.

      “Yeah, you might though!” responded Oliver to the “surprise” line. “Because you just agreed to a summit without reading the contents of the letter that supposedly convinced you to do it. So, worse-case scenario, it’s a declaration of war; best-case scenario, it reads, ‘Donald, It’s me. I have run away to North Korea and I’m never coming back. Melania, [your third wife].’”

      Marlow Stern

      Marlow Stern

      @marlownyc

      Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC