Trump calls off Pompeo North Korea trip, blasts China

US President Donald Trump today pulled the plug on a weekend trip to North Korea by his top diplomat, while taking a swipe at China over efforts to disarm the nuclear state.

"I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Trump said by tweet.

"Additionally, because of our much tougher Trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place)," Trump said.

In another tweet, the president added Pompeo would still head to North Korea "in the near future," saying this would likely occur when the US-China trading relationship is "resolved."
Pompeo had yesterday said he would return to North Korea next week for the next stage in ensuring the "final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea."
Trump, who relishes unpredictability in negotiating, had at one point canceled that summit, citing North Korea's "open hostility."