US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has always treated him with "great respect," highlighting their personal rapport and saying his approach is aimed at making the situation on the Korean Peninsula safer. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had met Kim on multiple occasions and that the two leaders understood each other.
"Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect, and we met on two primary occasions, spoke, and spent time. I understand him. He understands me. I get along with him. You know, he didn't like Biden, he didn't like Obama, he didn't like anybody, but I get along with him very well. Now, what I'm doing is making things safer, just the opposite," Trump said.
Trump contrasted his relationship with Kim with the North Korean leader's reported views of previous US presidents. In a separate report, the Russian state agency TASS quoted Trump as boasting to be the only US president to have a "good relationship" with Kim.
"I do have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un, as you know, you've seen. He didn't like Biden. He didn't like Obama. He didn't like anybody, but he some," Trump told reporters, according to TASS. "I got along with him very good. We had great meetings. We speak, and I think our nation and I think other nations, frankly, whether it's Japan or South Korea, they're a lot safer if I'm president than somebody else is president," he was quoted as saying.
Trump's comments come after he instructed Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of War, to "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "not happy" that the United States had agreed to participate in the exercises, describing them as costly and sending a signal "totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea, which he claimed has been "unthreatening and respectful" during his presidency. He said it was too late to cancel the exercises altogether but ordered a reduction.
TASS reported that on Tuesday Trump answered in the affirmative when asked whether Kim had responded to his proposal to hold talks, and on Wednesday he said he expects to meet with the North Korean leader later this year. However, he refused to say whether they are exchanging letters with Kim.
The announcement drew attention to the status of US–South Korea military cooperation under the current administration. Trump's remarks underscored how his perception of a personal bond with Kim is shaping his policy approach toward North Korea, particularly regarding joint drills that have long been a source of tension.