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Trump Says Kim Responded After South Korea Drill Cuts

webfact
· 142 views

President Donald Trump said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had replied to his outreach, after Trump ordered the United States to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked why Kim had not responded to his overtures. “He has,” Trump said, adding no further details.

Trump Links Response To US Exercise Plan

Trump’s comments came after he directed changes to US military drills involving South Korea, a move that was immediately tied to his push for engagement with Pyongyang.

The president said Kim had always treated him with respect and that the two had met on several occasions, describing what he said were two main times in which they spoke and spent time together. Trump added: “I understand him. He understands me.”

During Trump’s first term, relations with North Korea were a major focus, including a series of letters exchanged between him and Kim. In his second term, the issue has received less emphasis.

Summits In 2018 And 2019

Trump and Kim held summits in 2018 and 2019. Negotiations later stalled and ultimately broke down, with the failure linked to North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme based in Pyongyang.

North Korea remains subject to heavy international sanctions relating to its nuclear weapons and its ballistic missile capabilities.

The latest remarks by Trump mark another attempt to link any shift in engagement to changes in the US military posture in the region, although Trump did not describe what form Kim’s response took.

Pentagon Ordered “Substantially Reduce” Drills

On Sunday, Trump instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, which he described as a long-term Asian ally.

In giving the order, Trump said the decision reflected the cost of the drills. He also cited Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against Iran.

RELATED

Trump to Scale Back US Military Drills With South Korea

The United States has repeatedly framed its military activities with South Korea as part of deterrence, while North Korea has often criticised joint drills and linked them to broader security concerns.

Trump’s comments on Monday did not provide specific information about when or how Kim responded, or whether the outreach was connected to any channel beyond his earlier public statements.

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18 August 2026

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    Tug Star Member

    Tug

    Advanced Member

    Oh I’m sure he did after you handed him a victory and undermined all of our earstwile allies in the area…..atta boy donald!!!appeasing the murderous dictator always works ehh??weak pathetic and just shameful……are you tired of winning yet magga?

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    harvardgrad Advanced Member

    harvardgrad

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    • Popular Comment
    1 minute ago, Tug said:

    Oh I’m sure he did after you handed him a victory and undermined all of our earstwile allies in the area…..atta boy donald!!!appeasing the murderous dictator always works ehh??weak pathetic and just shameful……are you tired of winning yet magga?

    In all seriousness though how much more disrespectful could our "allies" be? Trump correctly identifies that the biggest enemy for our country is the progression to socialism then communism, next was Iran, and then why even play around with russia and north Korea anymore? They have just been bluffing lightweights the whole time.

    This is all obvious stuff. You are like a heckler at a ball game trying to distract the batters. About time for someone to throw you out on the street

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    Tug Star Member

    Tug

    Advanced Member
    • Popular Comment
    10 minutes ago, harvardgrad said:

    In all seriousness though how much more disrespectful could our "allies" be? Trump correctly identifies that the biggest enemy for our country is the progression to socialism then communism, next was Iran, and then why even play around with russia and north Korea anymore? They have just been bluffing lightweights the whole time.

    This is all obvious stuff. You are like a heckler at a ball game trying to distract the batters. About time for someone to throw you out on the street

    Naa just an American who knows what my country is supposed to be.our enemy is folks like Russia and N Korea even a simple lay person as myself can see that.trump squandered decades of sanctions diplomacy spy craft and most likely lives of operatives to win a few news cycles……meanwhile Kim continues to crank out nukes support the enemy’s of democracy’s.trump’s answer is apeasment that’s weak and pathetic.

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    harvardgrad Advanced Member

    harvardgrad

    Member
    1 minute ago, Tug said:

    Naa just an American who knows what my country is supposed to be.our enemy is folks like Russia and N Korea even a simple lay person as myself can see that.trump squandered decades of sanctions diplomacy spy craft and most likely lives of operatives to win a few news cycles……meanwhile Kim continues to crank out nukes support the enemy’s of democracy’s.trump’s answer is apeasment that’s weak and pathetic.

    Kim Jong un and Jong ill both just eant a little respect just like anyone else. Stuff like this is what makes the world more peaceful. Doubt the Koreans will be much in the news anymore

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    gargamon Ruby Member

    gargamon

    Advanced Member

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch..

    North Korea’s Rogue Strategic Pipeline Arming Iran's War Effort

    https://www.military.com/feature/2026/03/24/north-koreas-rogue-strategic-pipeline-arming-irans-war-effort.html

    While Iranian missiles, and their proxies, continue to attack U.S. troops and partners in the Arabian Gulf, one fact has disappeared from the coverage: North Korea supplies the weapons. The rockets that Hamas fired on October 7, 2023, the ballistic missiles Tehran launches at American positions today, and the tunnel networks that still threaten Israeli forces all trace back to Pyongyang.

    The relationship started as cold realpolitik. Iran needed weapons after the 1979 revolution and its war with Iraq. North Korea needed hard currency once Soviet subsidies dried up. Ideology drove Tehran while money drove Pyongyang. Bechtol describes it as a marriage of convenience that has lasted more than 40 years.

    Iran’s leaders see the partnership as part of their revolutionary fight against the United States and Israel. North Korea views it as business.

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    Jim Waldron Gold Member

    Jim Waldron

    Advanced Member

    Trump’s latest line is hypocrisy on steroids:

    He parades his "friendship" with a hard‑line communist dictator while warning Americans of reds under the bed.

    The drills cut with Seoul are dressed up as diplomacy, but the domestic pitch is still Cold War fearmongering.

    Respect abroad, scare tactics at home, contradiction as campaign strategy.

    images (1).jpeg

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    Eric Loh Star Member

    Eric Loh

    Advanced Member

    Anyone still think he is not lying that Kim responded personally to Trump? I got a bridge ..,.

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    candide Star Member

    candide

    Advanced Member
    20 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

    Anyone still think he is not lying that Kim responded personally to Trump? I got a bridge ..,.

    Who knows? He fooled Trump 1.0. Maybe Kim wants to have another try! 😀

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    unblocktheplanet Star Member

    unblocktheplanet

    Advanced Member

    It would be a great idea to link removal of sanctions to an end to war footing with South Korea. An invitation to the US might be good, too.

    I bet Vlad paid good money for NK troops, too. It's all business.

    candide Star Member

    candide

    Advanced Member

    Nothing from our armchair crusader against communism (riclag)? 😀

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