After assuming office for a second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to reconnect with North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un. He also referred to Kim as a “smart individual.”
On Thursday, during an interview with U.S. media outlet Fox News, Trump was asked if he had any plans to reach out to Kim Jong Un again.
In response, the U.S. President said, “Yes, absolutely. He’s a smart person, and he likes me.”
It is worth noting that North Korea is largely isolated in the international arena, and its relationship with the U.S. and its allies is extremely hostile. The primary reasons for this hostility are the country’s nuclear weapons program and Kim’s defiant attitude. The United Nations, the U.S., and Europe have imposed multiple sanctions on North Korea to deter its nuclear program, but the country has continued its projects regardless.
Additionally, North Korea regularly launches ballistic missiles into the Korean Strait and the Sea of Japan to pressure its two neighbors, South Korea and Japan, who are key allies of the U.S. in Asia.
During his first term, Trump became the first U.S. President to meet Kim Jong Un. He even shared a handshake photo with Kim on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which caused a sensation in international politics.
The meeting took place on July 4, 2019, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. Trump even crossed the border into North Korean territory, becoming the first sitting U.S. President to set foot in the country.
Recalling that memory during Thursday’s interview, Trump said, “I wanted to come to an agreement with him (Kim), and we were very close to a deal. At that time, I was also discussing a nuclear arms reduction agreement with Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin)… but a bad election (the 2021 presidential election) ruined everything.”
Meanwhile, it has recently been reported that the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters has officially recognized North Korea as a “nuclear power.” For the first time, Washington has extended such recognition to Pyongyang.