Visiting an old friend.
Dennis Rodman has become an unlikely diplomat between the U.S. and North Korea in recent years, thanks to his confusing bromance with supreme leader Kim Jong-Un.
While the former NBA star’s travels to the authoritarian state have triggered much criticism in the past, his most recent trip is actually getting some positive attention on Twitter.
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Why? Because hours after the ex-athlete landed in Pyongyang, detained U.S. student Otto Warmbier was released from North Korean jail!
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced on Tuesday that the American college student — who was serving a 15-year prison term with hard labor for alleged anti-state acts — had been medically evacuated from North Korea in a coma.
He said in a statement:
“At the direction of the President, the Department of State has secured the release of Otto Warmbier from North Korea. Mr. Warmbier is en route to the U.S. where he will be reunited with his family.”
According to reports, Warmbier was due to arrive home in Cincinnati on Tuesday evening. He had been in a coma for more than a year.
Tillerson made no mention of Rodman’s arrival, but instead credited Donald Trump with getting Warmbier back home.
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Twitter, on the other hand, couldn’t ignore the suspicious timing of Rodman’s visit — which the ex-baller claimed was sponsored by his weed cryptocurrency network PotCoin.com.
While at the Beijing airport en route to North Korea, Rodman claimed the issue of several Americans detained by the country was “not my purpose right now.”
Though, he had a feeling POTUS would approve of his door-opening trip, which he made as a private citizen, telling reporters:
“Well, I’m pretty sure he’s pretty much happy with the fact that I’m over here trying to accomplish something that we both need.”
Some have speculated that Rodman may even be carrying a message from the President, who has praised his efforts to engage North Korea amid dangerous rising tensions between the two countries.
Do U think Rodman had anything to do with the student’s release? See some telling Twitter reactions (below)!
2017…
Where Dennis Rodman has done more for international diplomacy than Donald Trump.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) June 13, 2017
Freelance Diplomacy or Dennis Rodman for President either or sounds better than our reality. pic.twitter.com/wztvwW0Hpr
— T.Kaine (@TKrapmusic) June 13, 2017
Nostalgia for a simpler time, when we thought Dennis Rodman going to N. Korea was the weirdest thing u could ever imagine in world politics
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) June 12, 2017
If our military plan to deal with North Korea is to have Dennis Rodman headbutt Kim Jong Un into submission, I’m on board.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) June 12, 2017
Awaiting Trump’s tweet announcing Dennis Rodman as the new ambassador to North Korea. A new diversion from #TrumpRussia
— Jacob Gil (@jacob4kids) June 12, 2017
“History repeats — the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce, and the third time as Dennis Rodman.” https://t.co/ciRmL5uT0y
— John Schindler (@20committee) June 12, 2017
Thoughts you never thought you’d have:
“Gee, I’m glad we’ve got Dennis Rodman talking to the N Koreans instead of the President.”
— JR Day (@DayforOK2018) June 12, 2017
Dennis Rodman goes to North Korea and then that detained college kid Otto gets released. Coincidence? I think not. #StakeWoke pic.twitter.com/7WC18Ah3E0
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) June 13, 2017
Stranger things have happened!
[Image via WENN.]
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