Dennis Rodman on Kim Jong Un: 'He Loves Power'

On Sunday, former basketball star Dennis Rodman talked with ABC's George Stephanopoulos about his new friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his questionable human rights practices, writes Politico.

Asked by Stephanopoulos about Kim's threats to the destroy the United States, and his family's horrendous record on human rights, Rodman said: "I don't condone that. I hate the fact that he's doing that. … I didn't talk about that. …I saw people respected him, his family. … "[He's] only 28 — 28. He's not his dad. He's not his grandpa. He is 28 years old. … He's very humble. He's a very humble man. … He don't want war – that's one thing he don't want. … He loves power. He loves control, because of his father, you know – stuff like that. But he's just — he's a great guy. He's just a great guy. You sit down and talk to him."

Pressed by Stephanopoulos on the 200,000 people in North Korean camps, Rodman said: "We do the same things here."

Stephanopoulos: "It sounds like you're apologizing for him."

Rodman: "No, I'm not apologizing for him. … He was a great guy to me. He was my friend. I don't condone what he does. But as a person to person, he's my friend. … What I did was history. … He's a friend to me. That's about it."

Read more at Politico.

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