North Korea30 September, 20262 min read
Trump Calls Kim Jong Un His Friend, Says North Korea Can Keep Nukes
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Trump says Kim Jong Un is his friend. Trump claims North Korea already has nuclear weapons.
Trump calls Kim a friend
President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House that Kim Jong Un is a “friend” and said, “He likes Trump. I like him,” when asked why Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons while North Korea already possesses them.
“‘Ahh, because you had a different president. Kim Jong Un. He’s a friend of mine.”
Trump added, “As long as I’m around, he’s going to be fine,” and he said the reason was that “he respects me and he likes me.”
Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York, said, “If you stand for nonproliferation, you can't say it's OK because they already have them.”
Rajan Menon said, “There’s no reasonable way to undo the fact that North Korea is a nuclear-armed state.”
Nukes, missiles, and talks
North Korea continued developing and testing weapons even as Trump expressed interest in renewed talks with Kim. On September 20, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea from its eastern coastal region, according to South Korean and Japanese officials.
Trump expected to meet Kim again this year and acknowledged North Korea had 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. The Trump administration pressed Iran over its nuclear program while seeking a way to end the armed conflict between the United States and Iran, and it described indirect talks through mediators including Qatar as continuing.
Pyongyang rejects denuclearization
Ukrainian National News said Trump answered a journalist’s question about why Washington opposes Iran’s nuclear program but does not comment at all on North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons by saying, “I like him. Kim Jong Un is my friend.”
“‘I like him. Kim Jong Un is my friend.”
Ukrainian National News also said Trump told reporters, “(North Korea) has nuclear capabilities, not as extensive as ours, but you know why? Because other presidents didn’t do what I would have done.”
Ukrainian National News reported that North Korea rejected the IAEA resolution and said it would not give up its nuclear status.
The same report said South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump agreed to work closely together to help resume dialogue with North Korea, while Trump expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with Kim Jong Un.