Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s North Korea meeting went ‘as badly as it could have gone’

(CNN) It began with great expectations, an eagerly-anticipated meeting with a reclusive leader, and a gift bag that included an Elton John CD.

It ended with a scuttled rendezvous, statements declaring disappointment and stalemate.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s overnight visit to Pyongyang last week failed to demonstrate any progress on denuclearization talks, leading one source with knowledge of the discussions to say the White House felt it went “as badly as it could have gone.”