U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton reportedly predicted that the North Korea-U.S. summit would not produce a positive outcome before the nuclear summit ended without a deal in February.  

According to the New Yorker on Monday, Bolton shared these predictions privately with U.S. officials prior to the conclusion of the Hanoi summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The U.S. magazine said Bolton believes a military option against the North is still possible but that Trump does not want a war with North Korea. It added that Bolton nonetheless promised to support his boss at the summit because that was what the president wanted.

The New Yorker quoted White House officials as saying that the second Kim-Trump talks hit a snag when Kim demanded a near total lifting of sanctions on the North in return for shutting down a plutonium production facility at Yongbyon, which is only part of the country’s nuclear program. 

The media outlet said U.S. negotiators warned their North Korean counterparts in advance that they would not consider such a deal.

Nonetheless, Trump reportedly asked Kim to continue talk shortly before the two parted ways in Hanoi.