Trump calls Kim Jong Un a ‘friend’ and plays down N Korea’s nuclear arsenal

US president’s comments came aft helium was asked wherefore North Korea tin person atomic weapons erstwhile Iran cannot.

United States President Donald Trump has described North Korean person Kim Jong Un arsenic “a friend” and played down concerns astir Pyongyang’s atomic arsenal, saying, “as agelong arsenic I’m around, he’s going to beryllium fine”.

Trump made the remarks successful Washington, DC, connected Tuesday aft a newsman asked him wherefore North Korea could person atomic weapons but Iran could not.

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“That’s interesting. You cognize why? Because you had a antithetic president, and they could person stopped him,” helium said, referring to erstwhile US administrations.

“He happens to beryllium a person of mine, Kim Jong Un, he’s a person of mine. He likes Trump, doesn’t similar a batch of different people. I’m astir the lone idiosyncratic successful the full satellite that helium likes, and I similar him,” helium said.

He said North Korea’s atomic capableness was “pretty large” but “not similar us”.

“You cognize what, arsenic agelong arsenic I’m around, he’s going to beryllium fine,” helium added. “You cognize why? Because helium respects maine and helium likes me.”

South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said past week that its bluish neighbour possessed betwixt 80 and 120 atomic warheads. The fig is importantly higher than Trump’s caller assertion that Pyongyang has 57 atomic weapons.

Trump is seeking to re-engage with Kim and unafraid a triumph connected the planetary signifier arsenic the US and Israel’s warfare connected Iran enters its eighth month.

The US president launched the warfare on with Israel connected February 28, saying Iran could not person a atomic weapon. Iran has denied seeking a weapon, noting it had signed an statement with satellite powers successful 2015 that curbed its atomic programme successful speech for sanctions relief. But Trump abandoned the statement during his archetypal word successful 2018.

The US-Israel warfare connected Iran has disrupted planetary vigor supplies, raised substance costs and wounded Trump’s popularity up of the November midterm elections.

Trump held summits with North Korea’s Kim successful 2018 and 2019, but diplomacy broke down implicit US demands that Pyongyang springiness up its atomic weapons. Since then, Kim has expanded his arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles and strengthened his diplomatic footprint by aligning with Russia implicit its warfare successful Ukraine and tightening relations with China.

Trump had earlier said helium planned to clasp in-person talks with Kim earlier the extremity of the year.

But North Korea has not formally committed to specified a meeting.