On Saturday, President Donald Trump issued a series of glowing posts on Twitter , describing the two leaders as having a relationship that is “very good,” before adding that “perhaps the term excellent would be even more accurate,” as Fox News reports. The president also hinted at the possibility of a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while suggesting that their strong personal relationship would serve to outweigh the largely ineffectual policy negotiations between the United States and North Korea.
As part of his praise of Kim and North Korea in general, Trump set the stage for the country to find traditional success on the world stage that is free from the economic and military sanctions currently directed at North Korea.
“North Korea has tremendous potential for.extraordinary growth, economic success and riches under the leadership of Chairman Kim,” the president wrote on Twitter . “I look forward to the day, which could be soon, when Nuclear Weapons and Sanctions can be removed, and then watching North Korea become one of the most successful nations of the World!”
Trump’s statements came immediately following a report by the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s state-run media network, which indicated that Kim is interested in another meeting with the U.S. president. Kim’s remarks occurred during a speech to North Korea’s parliament, which is not independent of Kim and serves at his specific direction.
“We of course place importance on resolving problems through dialogue and negotiations,” Kim said. “But U.S.-style dialogue of unilaterally pushing its demands doesn’t fit us, and we have no interest in it.”
The indirect exchange between the two leaders has raised concerns among many, who continue to fear that Trump’s largely respectful, if not laudatory, manner towards Kim is, in fact, lending the dictator legitimacy and encouraging his oppressive treatment of the citizens of North Korea.
North Korea has two female fortune tellers SHOT DEAD in public https://t.co/vCglcTCUTK
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 11, 2019
The first time Trump and Kim got together was in Singapore last year. While the meeting was reported as positive, particularly by Trump himself, there were no substantive takeaways as far as North Korean concessions. Their second meeting, which took place in Vietnam earlier this year, ended on a less positive note, with Trump and the U.S. delegation ending the meeting early in response to North Korea’s demand for lifting sanctions.
The suggestion of a third meeting follows recent statements from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is optimistic about Trump and Kim connecting a third time.
