Trump plans meeting with North Korean leader later this year

President Donald Trump announced plans for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year, telling reporters at the White House that it is important to foster a good relationship with the isolated nation.

“

Yes, I do.

Trump suggested that his predecessors were responsible for North Korea's acquisition of a significant nuclear arsenal, stating, "If I had been president, I would not have allowed that." He expressed confidence in his personal relationship with Kim, asserting that the North Korean leader would behave properly as long as the U.S. has a "wise president."

This potential meeting, which would be their fourth, comes after Trump recently asked U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. Trump described these exercises as sending an "inappropriate and hostile signal" to North Korea on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“

If I had been president, I would not have allowed that.

South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back offered a different assessment of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, stating that Seoul estimates the country possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, a higher figure than Trump's claim of 57.

“

I know Kim Jong-un really well, and he will behave properly as long as we have a wise president. If we have a stupid president, he probably won't be as proper.