Trump to meet North Korea's Kim later this year
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would meet Kim Jong Un later this year, seeking to revive the bond he claims to have struck with the leader of nuclear-armed North Korea in his first term.
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he intends to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later in 2026, aiming to restore the relationship he forged with Kim during his first presidential term. Trump, while speaking at the White House, emphasized the importance of amicable relations with Kim, noting that Pyongyang currently possesses 57 highly potent nuclear weapons.
However, Trump's renewed focus on Kim and his reduction of joint military exercises between the US and South Korea have irked Asian allies and raised speculation about his motives, particularly as his Iran conflict remains unresolved. Trump told reporters that he would meet Kim at a later date, adding that he gets along with the North Korean leader very well and that he would not have permitted Kim to acquire nuclear weapons if he had been president.
He did not provide further details but confirmed that the reported assessment aligns with previous US government and think tank estimates of North Korea's nuclear arsenal, which ranges from 50 to 60 weapons. During his first term, Trump met Kim three times, but their subsequent meetings in 2026 have not materialized. Nonetheless, Trump has recently reinstated the order to scale back hostile military drills with Seoul, citing his rapport with Kim, deeming these exercises "very insulting" to the North Korean leader, who has been described as well-behaved during the past encounter.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, expressed ignorance about the communication between her brother and Trump, stating that her brother still holds positive memories of Trump. Despite this, she dismissed the reduced drills, deeming them uninteresting and not worth commenting on, as North Korea views such exercises as rehearsals for potential invasion.
The US maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of its defense strategy following the 1950-53 Korean War armistice, not a peace treaty. Trump has frequently criticized longstanding US alliances, casting doubt on his commitment to regional security, which has caused alarm among neighboring countries.
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