Politics
Kim Open to Another Summit with Trump, with Conditions
Published
7 years agoon
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is open to a third summit with President Donald Trump, but set the year’s end as a deadline for Washington to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement to salvage the high-stakes nuclear diplomacy, the North’s state-run media said Saturday.
Kim made the comments during a speech Friday at a session of North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament, which made a slew of personnel changes that bolstered his diplomatic lineup amid stalemated negotiations with the United States. His speech came hours after Trump and visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in met in Washington and agreed on the importance of nuclear talks with North Korea.
“We of course place importance on resolving problems through dialogue and negotiations. But U.S.-style dialogue of unilaterally pushing its demands doesn’t fit us, and we have no interest in it,” Kim said during the speech.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, Kim blamed the collapse of his summit with Trump in February on what he described as unilateral demands by the United States, which he said raised questions over whether Washington has genuine willingness to improve relations. But Kim said his personal relationship with Trump remains good and that they could exchange letters at “any time.”
Trump responded to the remarks by saying he agreed with Kim about their relationship, and also expressed a desire for another summit.
“I agree with Kim Jong Un of North Korea that our personal relationship remains very good, perhaps the term excellent would be even more accurate, and that a third Summit would be good in that we fully understand where we each stand,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
“North Korea has tremendous potential for … extraordinary growth, economic success and riches under the leadership of Chairman Kim. I look forward to the day, which could be soon, when Nuclear Weapons and Sanctions can be removed, and then watching North Korea become one of the most successful nations of the World!” he tweeted.
In his speech, Kim repeated earlier claims that North Korea’s crippled economy would persevere through heavy international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons program and that he wouldn’t “obsess over summitry with the United States out of thirst for sanctions relief.”
The United States has said the summit in Vietnam broke down because of the North’s excessive demands for sanctions relief in return for limited disarmament measures. In their first summit last June in Singapore, Trump and Kim issued a vague statement calling for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when or how it would occur.
Kim said the United States has been refusing to withdraw what the North perceives as “hostile policies” while sticking to “mistaken judgment that we would succumb to maximum pressure.” He said the North would not compromise on the “fundamental interests of our country and people, even by a speck,” and blamed the United States for arriving in Hanoi with “completely unrealizable plans.”
“If the United States approaches us with the right manner and offers to hold a third North Korea-U.S. leaders’ summit on the condition of finding solutions we could mutually accept, then we do have a willingness to give it one more try,” Kim added. “We will wait with patience until the end of the year for the United States to come up with a courageous decision. But it will clearly be difficult for a good opportunity like last time to come up.”
Kim also during the speech made a nationalistic call for South Korea to support the North’s positions more strongly and criticized Seoul for acting like an “overstepping mediator” between Washington and Pyongyang. Kim held three summits last year with Moon, who lobbied hard to revive the nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea. Following the collapse of the Trump-Kim summit, the North had been urging the South to break away from Washington and proceed with inter-Korean economic projects that are currently held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North.
“The South should not act as an ‘overstepping mediator’ or a ‘facilitator’ and should rather get its mind straight as a member of the (Korean) nation and boldly speak up for the interest of the nation,” Kim said.
When asked about Kim’s comments, South Korea’s presidential office said Seoul is committed toward keeping the atmosphere of dialogue alive and helping negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang resume at an early date.
On Friday, KCNA reported that Kim was reelected as chairman of the State Affairs Commission, the nation’s most important decision-making body, during a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly that praised his “outstanding ideological and theoretical wisdom and experienced and seasoned leadership.”
Experts say the new appointments may be a sign of Kim’s desire to keep recent months of up-and-down nuclear diplomacy alive rather than returning to the threats and weapons tests that characterized 2017, when many feared war on the Korean Peninsula.
But the lack of substantial disarmament commitments from the North and the deepening impasse in nuclear negotiations have fueled doubts over whether Kim would ever voluntarily relinquish an arsenal he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival.
Some experts say it’s becoming clear the North intends to turn the talks with the United States into a bilateral arms reduction negotiation between two nuclear states, rather than a unilateral process of surrendering its arsenal.
Kim has signed vague statements calling for the “complete denuclearization” of the peninsula in his meetings with Trump and Moon. But North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, with Pyongyang vowing to pursue nuclear development until the United States removes its troops and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.
Politics
Vice President JD Vance to Visit Milwaukee, Discuss Trump Administration’s Anti-Fraud Efforts
Published
3 days agoon
July 6, 2026WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — Vice President JD Vance will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, where he is scheduled to deliver remarks on the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud, according to a White House press release.
Politics
Five Charged in Florida EBT Fraud Case; Two Illegal Aliens Among Defendants, Attorney General Says
Published
3 days agoon
July 6, 2026TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — James Uthmeier announced today that five individuals have been charged in connection with an organized scheme to defraud Florida’s public assistance program by using stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card information and personal identifying information (PII) to obtain taxpayer-funded benefits.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the investigation was conducted by the Orlando Police Department and involves an alleged fraud operation that spanned Orange County and Seminole County.
“Florida is not going to tolerate organized schemes that steal taxpayer-funded benefits intended for Florida families,” Uthmeier said in a statement.
“We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify every individual connected to this scheme and hold them accountable.”
Investigation Details
Investigators allege the defendants used stolen personal identifying information and EBT card data belonging to numerous victims to purchase high-resale merchandise, including:
- Monster energy drinks
- Red Bull energy drinks
- Coffee
- Bottled water
- Other retail goods
Authorities allege the merchandise was later resold for cash, diverting taxpayer-funded nutritional assistance intended for eligible Florida families.
Defendants Charged
The five defendants are:
- Carlos Ruben Gomez Jimenez
- Maite Lazara Mesa Labrada
- Carlos Luis Diaz Jimenez
- Enrique Gonzalez
- Luis Gonzalez Dominguez
According to the Attorney General’s Office, immigration records indicate that Gomez Jimenez and Mesa Labrada entered the United States unlawfully in 2024.
Criminal Charges
All five defendants are charged with:
- Organized Scheme to Defraud (less than $20,000)
- Public Assistance Fraud ($200 or more but less than $20,000)
Additional charges include:
- Gomez Jimenez, Mesa Labrada and Diaz Jimenez are charged with Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information involving EBT accounts belonging to 10 or more individuals.
- Dominguez is charged with Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information.
- Diaz Jimenez and Enrique Gonzalez are also charged with Dealing in Stolen Property.
Potential Sentences
According to prosecutors:
- Carlos Luis Diaz Jimenez faces up to 40 years in prison.
- Carlos Ruben Gomez Jimenez, Maite Lazara Mesa Labrada and Enrique Gonzalez each face up to 25 years in prison.
- Luis Gonzalez Dominguez faces up to 15 years in prison.
Additionally, Gomez Jimenez, Mesa Labrada and Diaz Jimenez face mandatory minimum sentences of three years if convicted of Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information involving 10 or more victims.
Investigation Remains Active
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Additional arrests or charges may be filed as investigators continue to identify others connected to the alleged fraud scheme.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Counsel for Public Assistance Fraud Scott Strauss in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Central Florida News
Orange County Commission District 3 Lawsuit Set for July 10 Hearing, Candidate Randy Ross Says
Published
4 days agoon
July 6, 2026Florida National News learned of the July 10 court date following a press conference held by Ross and later received a news release from his campaign announcing the scheduled hearing.
Lawsuit Challenges Election Process
Ross filed the lawsuit after challenging the application of Florida’s resign-to-run law following Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe’s decision to seek another elected office.
“This lawsuit has never been about me,” Ross said. “It has always been about the right of District 3 residents to elect their own County Commissioner. On Friday, the people finally get their day in court.”
Ross: ‘The Law Matters’
Ross said his legal challenge is focused on ensuring election laws are applied consistently.
“While others relied on politics, assumptions and opinion, I relied on one thing … the law,” Ross said. “If we expect our citizens to follow the law, then government must follow it too. There cannot be one set of rules for politicians and another for everyone else.”
Concerns Over Election Accountability
Ross said the case raises broader questions about accountability and public confidence in Orange County’s election process.
“Candidates place their trust in our election officials to provide competent, accurate guidance,” Ross said. “Voters deserve confidence that elections are conducted according to Florida law … not political convenience. When government gets it wrong, someone has to stand up. I chose to do exactly that.”
Campaign Message
Ross, a longtime Orange County resident and community leader, said the lawsuit reflects the type of leadership he would bring to the County Commission.
“I don’t back down from difficult fights. I don’t accept government incompetence. And I don’t believe taxpayers or voters should pay the price when public officials fail to do their jobs.”
He also pledged to provide a public update immediately following Friday’s hearing.
“I welcome this opportunity because facts matter. The law matters. Most importantly, the voices of District 3 voters matter. This isn’t about politics … it is about protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring the people, not government bureaucracy, decide who represents them.”
The hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 10, 2026. The court’s ruling will determine the legal issues presented in the case. The allegations and legal arguments discussed are those advanced by the plaintiff and remain subject to judicial review.
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