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U.S. official: No "reward" to North Korea for agreeing to talk

Photo: Cheriss May / NurPhoto via Getty Images

A senior administration official reiterated on Thursday night that pressures on North Korea will not lessen, following the announcement that President Trump has agreed to meet with Kim Jong-un:

  • "He is not prepared to reward North Korea in exchange for talks, but he is willing to accept an invitation at this time to meet," the official said.
  • Among those briefed in the Oval Office on North Korea's message, were Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, chief of staff John Kelly, General McMaster, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, Deputy Director of the CIA Gina Haspel, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.
  • The time and place of the meeting have not yet been established, but the administration "will settle for nothing less" than denuclearization as the final outcome, the official said.

Trump tweeted:

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Axios
Updated 45 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Health: Coronavirus deaths reach 4,000 per day as hospitals remain in crisis mode — CDC warns highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March.
  2. Politics: Biden says, "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution — Biden taps ex-FDA chief to lead Operation Warp Speed amid rollout of COVID plan — Widow of GOP congressman-elect who died of COVID-19 will run to fill his seat.
  3. Vaccine: Battling Black mistrust of the vaccines — "Pharmacy deserts" could become vaccine deserts — Instacart to give $25 to shoppers who get vaccine.
  4. Economy: Unemployment filings explode again — Fed chair: No interest rate hike coming any time soon —  Inflation rose more than expected in December.
  5. World: WHO team arrives in China to investigate pandemic origins.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

NRA declares bankruptcy, says it will reincorporate in Texas

Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association (NRA) speaks during CPAC in 2016. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

The National Rifle Association said Friday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will seek to reincorporate in Texas, calling New York, where it is currently registered, a "toxic political environment."

The big picture: The move comes just months after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA, alleging the group committed fraud by diverting roughly $64 million in charitable donations over three years to support reckless spending by its executives.

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Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Biden: "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution

Joe Biden. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

President-elect Joe Biden promised to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase vaccine manufacturing, as he outlined a five-point plan to administer 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations in the first months of his presidency.

Why it matters: With the Center for Disease Control and Prevention warning of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus, Biden is trying to establish how he’ll approach the pandemic differently than President Trump.

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