Trump Describes Kim Jong Un as 'Friend' and Addresses North Korea's Nuclear Arsenal

United States President Donald Trump described North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as 'a friend' and downplayed concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear arsenal during remarks made in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. This statement followed a question about why North Korea is permitted to possess nuclear weapons while Iran is not. Trump stated, 'That’s interesting. You know why? Because you had a different president, and they could have stopped him,' referring to previous US administrations. He added, 'He happens to be a friend of mine, Kim Jong Un, he’s a friend of mine. He likes Trump, doesn’t like a lot of other people. I’m about the only person in the entire world that he likes, and I like him.' Trump acknowledged that North Korea's nuclear capacity is 'pretty large' but claimed it is 'not like us.' He further stated, 'As long as I’m around, he’s going to be fine,' attributing this to mutual respect. South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back recently estimated that North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, a figure significantly higher than Trump's assertion of 57 nuclear weapons. Trump is attempting to re-engage with Kim as the US and Israel's military actions against Iran continue. The US president initiated this conflict on February 28, asserting that Iran should not have nuclear capabilities, despite Iran's claims of not pursuing such weapons and its prior agreement with world powers in 2015 to limit its nuclear program. Trump withdrew from this agreement in 2018. The ongoing conflict has impacted global energy supplies and contributed to rising fuel costs, affecting Trump's popularity ahead of the November midterm elections. Trump previously held summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019, but negotiations stalled over US demands for North Korea to relinquish its nuclear arsenal. Since then, Kim has expanded his missile capabilities and strengthened ties with Russia and China. Trump has indicated plans for in-person talks with Kim before the year ends, although North Korea has not confirmed such a meeting.