Despite once saying that he'd never go back, Dennis Rodman is making a triumphant return to North Korea, thanks to sponsorship from a bitcoin platform for the cannabis industry.
The retired basketball player and NBA Hall-of-Famer was spotted at Beijing Capital International Airport Tuesday, though he wasn't too responsive to questions from the press.
Rodman reportedly said he was hoping to do "something that's pretty positive" on the trip.
North Korean officials confirmed that Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang later today.
Rodman announced his trip on Twitter, where he thanked PotCoin.com for sponsoring his mission. (A quick look of PotCoin's website reveals that it's a cryptocurrency network and banking platform for the marijuana industry).
"I'll discuss when I return," the eccentric athlete wrote in the rather cryptic tweet.
He also posted an accompanying video on Youtube announcing the trip (VPN on):
"I would smoke a big ass blunt with Kim Jong Un," wrote a commenter on the Youtube video.
It's not clear what the purpose of Rodman's trip is, and a senior US State Department official told CNN that he was not visiting "in any official capacity."
READ MORE: Dennis Rodman-Kim Jong-Un Bromance to be Turned into a Movie
This isn't Rodman's first trip to North Korea — he's visited the country at least four times, with three of those trips taking place between 2013 and 2014. Rodman, who is one of just a handful of American citizens to meet the North Korean dictator, has claimed his trips are "basketball diplomacy."
His most recent visit was in January 2014, when he brought along several former NBA players for an exhibition game as a birthday present for Kim. During the trip, he was filmed leading a round of "Happy Birthday" for Kim, who he had previously referred to as "a very good guy."
READ MORE: I Spent a Week with Dennis Rodman in North Korea
But as you may recall, the trip quickly turned into a bit of a debacle after Rodman's outburst during a live interview from Pyongyang with CNN. Rodman, who had defended the trip as "a great idea for the world," appeared outraged after a question about then-detained American citizen Kenneth Bae.
The controversial interview drew criticism from activists, who said that Rodman was ignorant of North Korean human rights issues.
Rodman later apologized, saying he was "stressed out" and "had been drinking" around the time of the interview. He also told ESPN that he would "never go back" to North Korea and was sorry he ever went.
READ MORE: Dennis Rodman 'Never Going Back' to North Korea, Sorry He Ever Went
Before entering the political world, Donald Trump praised one of Rodman's trips as being "smart."
Trump later addressed rumors that he was planning on visiting North Korea with Rodman, tweeting this:
Accusing Rodman of being "either drunk or on drugs (delusional)," Trump said he was glad to have fired Rodman during Season Six of his hit reality TV show, Celebrity Apprentice. In case you're wondering why Rodman was fired, it was because he misspelled Melania's name on a birthday card. (VPN on):
But all that drama is now covfefe under the bridge, and Rodman and Trump appear to be friendly. Rodman even endorsed The Donald for President back in 2015.
When asked today if he had spoken to Trump about the trip, Rodman replied, "I'm pretty sure he's happy at the fact that I'm over here trying to accomplish something that we both need."
Rodman's visit comes during heightened tensions between North Korea and the US. Just last month, the DPRK claimed that US and South Korean intelligence agencies attempted to assassinate Kim Jong Un. Four American citizens are also currently being detained in North Korean prisons.
And despite attempts by Trump to work together with China on the issue, the DPRK has already fired 16 missiles this year, including one just last week.
Earlier this year, Kim Jong Un's half brother died in an poisoning attack that was believed to be orchestrated by North Korean officials.
[Images via @DennisRodman, @willripleyCNN 1/2, @DonaldTrump, Twitter]
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