Former President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. The announcement follows a report from The Wall Street Journal indicating Trump had requested his aides arrange an in-person meeting with the North Korean supreme leader, with speculation pointing to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) event in Shenzhen, China, as a potential venue.
Trump stated that North Korea possesses 57 nuclear weapons, an exact figure not previously disclosed, though general estimates of the nation's stockpile have hovered around 60. "If I were president, I wouldn't have allowed it," Trump commented on North Korea's nuclear development, criticizing past administrations for allowing the country to build its arsenal.
This outreach to Kim Jong Un marks a shift from Trump's previous rhetoric, which included referring to the North Korean leader as "little rocket man" and warning of "fire and fury." Trump previously met with Kim three times during his presidency, including a notable encounter at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the Korean border. However, those meetings did not result in denuclearization concessions from North Korea.
Trump's confirmation of a future meeting comes shortly after his directive to scale back the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea. Trump described the exercises as "costly" and sending an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea. Following his statement, the Pentagon and South Korean military agreed to shorten the drills from 11 days to five and reduce the scope of planned exercises. South Korean military officials reportedly stated they were not given advance notice of Trump's directive.
When pressed about whether he had exchanged personal letters with Kim, Trump declined to answer directly, stating, "I can't tell you that." He had previously mentioned on Monday being in communication with Kim.
