President Donald Trump said he doesnt know if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is still building nuclear weapons but, the U.S. leader noted, I hope not.
Speaking to ABC News George Stephanopoulos last week about the potential nuclear threat still posed by Pyongyang, Trump waxed lyrical about the very strong relationship hed forged with the very smart Kim, who he described as someone who understands and respects me.
Hes a very tough guy. Hes a very smart person. He doesnt treat a lot of people very well, but hes been treating me well, the president told Stephanopoulos in a wide-ranging interview that aired Sunday night.
Now, at some point that may change. And then Ill have to change, too, Trump continued. But right now, we have a very good, you know, relationship. We have a really very strong relationship.
Asked if he thinks North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is still building nuclear weapons, Pres. Trump tells @GStephanopoulos, I don't know. I hope not. He promised me he wouldn't be. https://t.co/JUw1uUCsE4 pic.twitter.com/UUkoTa2QJB
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Government","slug":"politics-and-government","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-and-government"},{"name":"North Korea","slug":"north-korea","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/north-korea","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/north-korea","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/north-korea"},"relegenceId":3689865,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"North Korea","slug":"north-korea","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/north-korea"},{"name":"Kim Jong Un","slug":"kim-jong-un","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/kim-jong-un","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/kim-jong-un","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/kim-jong-un"},"relegenceId":3925132,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"Kim Jong 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Trump tells @GStephanopoulos , I don't know. I hope not. He promised me he wouldn't be. https://t.co/JUw1uUCsE4 pic.twitter.com/UUkoTa2QJB
ABC News (@ABC) June 17, 2019
Asked whether he thought Kim could be playing him, Trump told Stephanopoulos that U.S. sanctions were still in place against North Korea and pointed to the return of hostages and war remains as evidence of his administrations success in dealing with Kims regime.
I put on sanctions. The sanctions are on. Weve gotten our hostages back. Weve gotten the remains. And they continue to come back, Trump said.
The presidents assertion contradicted a statement made by the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency last month saying efforts to retrieve American remains from North Korea had been suspended because of the country hasnt responded.
DPRK officials have not communicated with DPAA since the Hanoi Summit between Trump and Kim earlier this year, a spokesman for the agency told CNN . As a result, our efforts to communicate with the Korean Peoples Army regarding the possible resumption of joint recovery operations for 2019 has been suspended.
Trump said, regarding North Korea, \"We've gotten -- the remains. And they continue to come back...\" The U.S. military announced in May that the remains recovery effort had been suspended for the rest of the fiscal year because North Korea has gone silent and uncooperative. pic.twitter.com/uR7Prz9H7V
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And they continue to come back..." The U.S. military announced in May that the remains recovery effort had been suspended for the rest of the fiscal year because North Korea has gone silent and uncooperative. pic.twitter.com/uR7Prz9H7V
Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 17, 2019
Pressed to answer whether Kim was still building nuclear weapons, Trump said he didnt know but that the North Korean leader had promised ... me he wouldnt be testing.
From the interview:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you think hes still building nuclear weapons?
TRUMP: I dont know. I hope not. He promised me he wouldnt be. He promised me he wouldnt be testing. I think hed like to meet again. And I think he likes me a lot. And I think you know, I think that we have a chance to do something.
The president also reiterated his belief that North Korea could be so rich something Kim knows and wants.
Hes a very smart person. And that country has almost of any undeveloped country anywhere in the world, that country has the chance to be economically a behemoth, Trump said. Its a phenomenal location. That country can be so rich. And he knows that. And I think he really wants to do that, Trump said, adding that Kim has to do it in a non-nuclear way.
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