Trump blames Cohen testimony for collapse of Trump-Kim Summit

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the Democrats' decision to arrange a congressional hearing for his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, on the same day as his meeting with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, may have contributed to the summit ending with no deal.

"For the Democrats to interview in open hearings a convicted liar & fraudster, at the same time as the very important Nuclear Summit with North Korea (DPRK), is perhaps a new low in American politics and may have contributed to the 'walk'," Trump said in a tweet on Sunday night, referring to his decision to walk away from what he previously said was a bad deal with Kim.

"Never done when a president is overseas. Shame!" Trump said in the tweet.

When asked about Cohen's testimony at a press conference in Hanoi after the summit ended earlier than the scheduled time, Trump called it a "fake hearing" and said to have the hearing in the middle of the very important summit was a terrible thing.

During the House Oversight Committee hearing, Cohen was harshly critical of his former boss, calling him a racist, con man and a cheat.

U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un have dinner at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi, February 27, 2019. /VCG Photo

On Monday night, Trump also dismissed the idea that he discussed curbing joint U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) military drills during his summit with Kim.

"The military drills, or war games as I call them, were never even discussed in my mtg w/ Kim Jong Un of NK (DPRK)," Trump tweeted.

Since taking office, Trump has repeatedly complained about the military drills, saying they are too costly and the U.S. bears too much of the financial burden.

The Pentagon and the ROK military confirmed on Sunday, shortly after the Trump-Kim Summit that they were ending large-scale joint spring exercises known as Foal Eagle and Key Resolve and replace them with smaller-scale drills.

The Pentagon said the move reflected the desire to reduce tension and support the diplomatic efforts to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a final, fully verified manner.

(Top image: U.S. President Donald Trump at a news conference after the Trump-Kim Summit at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi, February 28, 2019. /VCG Photo)