Trump Says Kim Jong Un Has Responded as He Hints at Renewed Dialogue

US President Donald Trump has suggested that his administration may be in renewed contact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying the North Korean leader has responded to his attempts to open a conversation.

Trump made the comments Monday without providing details about the alleged communication with Kim.

Asked why Kim had not responded to his requests for talks, Trump said: “How do you know he hasn’t responded?”

Pressed on whether Kim had in fact replied, Trump paused and answered: “Yeah, he has.”

Trump then described the current state of the conversations as “very positive” but did not explain what the two leaders had discussed or whether a formal meeting was being planned.

The comments came one day after Trump ordered a scaling back of US military exercises with South Korea and praised his relationship with Kim.

Trump said his personal ties with the North Korean leader had helped reduce tensions with Pyongyang.

“You see, I’m actually making it much safer. Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect,” Trump said.

“I understand him. He understands me.”

Trump and Kim met three times during Trump’s first presidential term, but they have not met since Trump returned to the White House last year.

The president has also previously made broad and unconfirmed statements about communications with other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Meanwhile, Trump renewed his criticism of South Korea over its refusal to assist US military operations against Iran. He had first raised the issue in a Truth Social post on Sunday night before expanding on his criticism in the Oval Office.

“We can’t go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they’re not there to help us,” Trump said, in another sharp criticism of America’s long-standing alliances.

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