Asahi and Yomiuri took up a press briefing on Tuesday by Department of State spokeswoman Ortagus, who commented on media speculation that the Trump administration is considering a “nuclear freeze” as an option to jumpstart the stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea. “That would never be the resolution of a process or the end of a process,” she said. “I don’t think that the administration has ever characterized a freeze as being the end goal. That’s would be at the beginning of the process.”  The dailies interpreted the comment as meaning that Washington might endorse denuclearization in stages when bilateral talks are resumed later this month.