President Trump confirmed Wednesday that he intends to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, setting the stage for their third face-to-face meeting as Trump seeks to renew direct diplomacy with the nuclear-armed regime.
Trump did not reveal when or where the meeting would take place. Reports have suggested that the summit could be held in November, when the president is expected to travel to China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump defended his relationship with Kim and argued that maintaining a personal rapport with the North Korean leader benefits the United States.
“I get along with him, and you know what? The fact that I get along with him-that’s a good thing, not a bad thing,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that Kim has “57 very powerful nuclear weapons.”
Trump then criticized previous U.S. administrations for allowing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal to reach its current size, arguing that the buildup would not have occurred under his leadership.
“Should have never allowed it to happen,” the president added. “They should have never allowed it. If I were president, I wouldn’t have allowed it. But he’s got them.”
Trump’s statement about the size of Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal was particularly notable because U.S. officials have generally avoided publicly providing an exact number of operational North Korean nuclear weapons.
Previous intelligence assessments have estimated that North Korea possesses between 50 and 60 active nuclear warheads. Trump’s assertion that Kim controls precisely 57 marked the first time a U.S. official has publicly provided a specific figure for the country’s nuclear arsenal.
