SINGAPORE: Retired basketball star Dennis Rodman confirmed on Friday (Jun 8) that he will be in Singapore for the historic summit between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next Tuesday.
Rodman posted a tweet on Friday thanking his sponsors PotCoin and Prince Marketing for allowing his visit to take place.
Advertisement"I'll give whatever support is needed to my friends, @realDonaldTrump and Marshall Kim Jong Un," said Rodman in his tweet.
However, the White House on Thursday said Rodman will not be involved in the meeting.
"I don't know what part the best rebounder in basketball has to play in that," spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News. "He is great on the court but negotiations should be left to those who are good at it ... Trump is the best."
AdvertisementAdvertisementGidley said he expected Trump and Kim to have "an amazing conversation without Dennis Rodman in tow".
Earlier, Trump himself also confirmed that Rodman would not be in attendance.
"I like him. He's a nice guy. No, he was not invited," Trump told reporters as he met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Rodman, the former Chicago Bulls forward, has made five trips to Pyongyang since Kim took power and once called the North Korean leader his "friend for life".
Rodman first visited North Korea in 2013 with members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, and in 2014 put together a team of North Korean basketball players for an exhibition match marking Kim's birthday.
Rodman was even filmed singing "Happy Birthday" to the North Korean strongman.
His last trip was in June 2017 when he gave Kim a copy of Trump's best-selling book, The Art of the Deal.
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