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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has a close relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and predicted the North Korean leader's future would depend largely on the judgment of whoever occupies the White House.
"I know Kim Jong Un very well, and he's going to be fine," Trump told reporters. "As long as we have a smart president, he's going to be fine. If we have a dumb president, then he's probably not going to be so fine."
Asked directly whether he has continued exchanging letters with Kim, Trump did not answer the question but instead emphasized the personal rapport between the two leaders. "I get along with him very well," he said.
Trump and Kim have a history of direct communication dating back to Trump's first term, when the two leaders met in person on several occasions, including a 2018 summit in Singapore and a 2019 meeting in Hanoi. Reports of personal letters exchanged between the two leaders surfaced during that period as well.
Trump also made reference to the scale of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, saying the country has "57 very powerful nuclear weapons." He argued that North Korea should never have been permitted to develop such weapons in the first place.
"Should have never allowed it to happen," Trump said. "When I was president, I wouldn't have allowed it, but he's got them."
North Korea has pursued nuclear weapons development for decades, conducting its first nuclear test in 2006 and continuing to expand its arsenal and missile capabilities despite international sanctions and periods of diplomatic engagement with the United States.
When asked whether he expects to meet with Kim later this year, Trump responded affirmatively. "Yeah, I will be," he said, without elaborating on timing, location or an agenda for any potential meeting.
Trump did not offer further details on the nature of his current communications with Kim or specify what circumstances might lead to a face-to-face meeting.
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