Fred Warmbier, the father of North Korean captive Otto Warmbier, said at a press conference on Thursday that the Obama administration advised the family to keep quiet about his son’s ordeal.
While saying that stance didn’t get results, Warmbier said that the Trump administration worked hard to secure the release of his son.
“Last evening, we received a very nice phone call from President Trump who told us that Secretary of State Tillerson worked hard to bring Otto home,” Warmbier said.
Later in his press conference, Warmbier offered a damning look at the Obama administration’s foreign policy.
“When Otto was first taken, we were advised by the past administration to take a low profile while they worked to obtain his release,” he said. “We did so without result.”
“Earlier this year, Cindy [Warmbier] and I decided the time for strategic patience was over,” Warmbier added, repeating a line from the Trump administration.
Warmbier said that Ambassador Joseph Yun, under the direction of President Trump and his administration, helped secure the release of his son.
Otto Warmbier recently returned to the United States in a coma. His medical status is unclear.
