
US President Donald Trump stated at an Ohio campaign rally that he gets along great with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, emphasizing the importance of maintaining relations with nuclear-armed nations, amid conflicting claims about North Korea's nuclear arsenal and ongoing rejection of denuclearization talks.
AI-generated summary
Trump previously met Kim Jong-un three times in person: in Singapore in June 2018, in Hanoi in February 2019, and at Panmunjom at the inter-Korean border.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday he "gets along great" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as he stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with leaders of nuclear-armed nations.
Trump made the remarks during a campaign rally in Ohio ahead of the US midterm elections while discussing his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and defending his ties with leaders of major powers.
"I get along great with Kim Jong-un," Trump said, adding, "Isn't it nice to get along with the leaders of massive nations, massive nuclear nations?"
In August, Trump said that he hopes to meet Kim later this year, adding to speculation that he might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with Kim that led to three bilateral in-person meetings: the first in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the last at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom.
Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the State Department, said Friday that Trump does not view talks with North Korea as a "concession" and is willing to engage Pyongyang if doing so serves US national interests.
At the rally, Trump also said it is good to get along with someone when that person has "112 nuclear missiles" without elaborating on what the figure represented.
In August, Trump claimed North Korea possessed 57 nuclear weapons, leaving unclear what exactly the latest figure he mentioned referred to.
Trump's latest remarks came as North Korea has continued to reject calls for denuclearization and insisted that its status as a nuclear weapon state is "irreversible." (Yonhap)
AI outlook โ possibilities, not facts
Trump will seek to meet Kim Jong-un later this year
Possible ยท Within months

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