Singapore, Jun 12 (IANS): Dennis Rodman, the former NBA star and longtime friend of Kim Jong-un, broke down in tears during a televised interview on Tuesday as President Donald Trump held a historic meeting with the North Korean leader in Singapore.
Openly wiping away tears from beneath a large pair of black sunglasses, Rodman, who arrived in Singapore on Monday night, appeared overcome with emotion during the CNN interview.
Wearing a red "Make America Great Again" baseball cap, the former NBA Hall-of-Famer said that Tuesday's historic meeting was years in the making.
"It's a great day. I am here to see it. I'm so happy," he said.
Rodman, who has previously boasted of his role in bringing the two leaders together, described how he always believed in helping North Korea.
"Once I got familiar with the culture and situation, I felt like I was at home," he said of his previous trips to the reclusive country, initially as part of a basketball delegation.
"I'm not in this for no money. I never started it for no money. This is not about Dennis Rodman being the greatest person in the world, bringing the countries together," Rodman told CNN.
His trip to Singapore is being funded by Potcoin, a Marijuana cryptocurrency.
"I think the fact that Trump would understand that the people of North Korea have a heart, they have soul, charisma, and they love each other," added Rodman.
Discussing his relationship with Kim, Rodman said the North Korea dictator was "more like a big kid" who "loves to have a good time" and described him as his "good friend".
Rodman, who repeatedly praised Trump's willingness to engage with North Korea, said he was previously threatened for defending North Korea.
"When I got home (from North Korea in 2014), I got so many death threats. I was sitting up protecting everything... But I kept my head up high, brother. I knew things were gonna change. I was the only one."
The former Chicago Bulls star said he tried talking to former US President Barack Obama.
Trump and Kim met on Tuesday, the first time for the leaders of the two countries to come face to face.