'Kim has always respected me': Trump

US President Donald Trump claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has always treated him with great respect, emphasizing their personal rapport and stating that the approach aims to make the situation on the Korean Peninsula safer. Trump, speaking to reporters, mentioned meeting Kim on multiple occasions and noted that they understand each other well.

He contrasted this relationship with the views of previous US presidents reportedly held by Kim Jong Un. Trump also highlighted that Kim did not like Biden, Obama, or any other leaders in the past, but he gets along with Kim quite well. This relationship, Trump said, has led to making things safer on the Korean Peninsula, the opposite of what Trump had previously shared on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump expressed his displeasure with the United States' participation in joint military exercises with South Korea, describing these drills as costly and inappropriate. He felt that these exercises send a hostile signal to North Korea, which, he claimed, has been unthreatening and respectful during his term. However, Trump acknowledged that it's too late to cancel these exercises altogether and instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce their frequency.