Sen. Angus King Angus KingGovernment watchdog recommends creation of White House cyber director position Democrats step up hardball tactics as Supreme Court fight heats up Shakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' MORE (I-Maine) on Thursday said President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE deserves "substantial credit" for facilitating a summit between the United States and North Korea.

“I think it is a positive development. The fact that we’re moving toward a summit with North Korea is also good news. And I think the president deserves substantial credit for that,” King told CNN’s “New Day.”

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But the senator cautioned that North Korea has yet to give up its nuclear weapons.

“It’s not time yet to pop the cork on this. On the other hand, I’m delighted that we’re going to be entering into these negotiations and maybe this time it will work,” he said.

The remarks come after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Overnight Defense: House Democrats unveil stopgap spending measure to GOP opposition | Bill includes .6B for new subs | Trump issues Iran sanctions after world shrugs at US action at UN Navalny calls on Russia to return clothes he was wearing when he fell ill MORE returned from North Korea early Thursday with three Americans who had been held captive by Pyongyang.

"The fact we were able to get them out so soon was a tribute to a lot of things," Trump said when he greeted the former hostages at Andrews Air Force Base. "I just want to say, this is a special night."

The release, a significant diplomatic achievement for the Trump administration, comes ahead of the upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“I’m the first to say this is positive, the gesture of sending these people home is positive. I think it opens the door to further discussions,” King said of the prisoners’ release.

“And if we can pull it off, if this president can pull it off, listen, I’ll be the first person to say congratulations," he said. "But just a word of caution, we’re not there yet.”