Donald Trump revealed he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year, also stating that the Pyongyang government has 57 powerful nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, 19 Aug 2026 GMT+7, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year. If it happens, it will be their first meeting during Trump's second term as U.S. president.
Additionally, Trump said North Korea possesses "very powerful" nuclear weapons totaling 57, which is unusual for a U.S. president to provide such a specific assessment of North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
"Yes, I will meet him," Trump said to reporters while showing a new helicopter landing pad under construction at the White House after being asked if he plans to meet Kim Jong-un later in 2026.
Trump did not provide further details, but The Wall Street Journal reported that he is considering this meeting during his trip to China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November.
Trump also defended plans to meet the North Korean leader, a country the U.S. has previously tried to prevent from acquiring nuclear weapons, even as the U.S. is engaged in conflict with Iran, citing prevention of Tehran's nuclear bomb possession as a reason.
"He has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons. It shouldn't have been allowed from the start... If I were president, I wouldn't have let it happen," Trump said. "But he already has them. I get along very well with him. I won't allow Iran to have nuclear weapons, but I know Kim Jong-un very well, and he will be fine."
Trump's announcement came only two days after he ordered the U.S. to reduce the scale of joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the "good relationship" he has with Kim Jong-un as a factor in that decision.
Trump and Kim met three times during Trump's first term as U.S. president. At that time, Trump said they "fell in love" after exchanging "beautiful letters," but they have not met at all in this second term, and nuclear disarmament talks have been stalled since 2019.
However, in recent days, Trump has increasingly signaled communications with Kim, although he has not confirmed whether they are exchanging letters.
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong-un, said Wednesday she was "unaware" of reports about communications between her brother and Donald Trump but stated that the relationship between the two remains "excellent."
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Source:cna