- Donald Trump says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his recent outreach, a day after ordering the Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea.
- When asked by reporters at the Oval Office on Monday why Kim had not responded to his request for a conversation, Trump replied, “How do you know he hasn’t responded?”
- Pressed again, Trump said, “Yeah, he has.”
- The US president went on to describe the exchange as “very positive”, without providing further detail.
- South Korean officials said the exercises had begun as planned and that they hoped the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim would bring them back to talks.
- Trump’s relationship with Kim has received less White House emphasis than it did in his first term, when the two men met and exchanged letters before negotiations broke down in 2019 over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons arsenal.
President Donald Trump has ordered a substantial reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea, asserting that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded positively to his outreach. Trump described the military drills as costly and inappropriate, stating they send a hostile signal to North Korea.1
"How do you know he hasn’t responded?" Trump asked reporters when questioned about Kim's lack of communication. He later confirmed, “Yeah, he has.” The president characterized the exchange as “very positive” but did not elaborate further.34
Despite Trump's directive, South Korean officials reported that the exercises commenced as scheduled, expressing hope that the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim could facilitate a return to negotiations. This shift in military strategy marks a departure from the previous emphasis on Trump's relationship with Kim, which was more pronounced during his first term, culminating in high-profile meetings that ultimately faltered over North Korea's nuclear weapons program in 2019.5
“South Korean officials confirmed that military exercises began as planned, expressing hope that the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim would lead to renewed talks. Trump's relationship with Kim has received less emphasis from the White House compared to his first term, when negotiations broke down over North Korea's nuclear arsenal.”
