Trump Calls Kim Jong-un a “Nuclear Power” Again, Vows to Rebuild Past Relationship

Former U.S. President Donald Trump referred to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a “Nuclear Power” again on March 13 and expressed his intention to rebuild their relationship as he did during his first term.

During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump was asked whether he planned to restore his previous relationship with Kim amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. He responded, “I would,” adding that he had a good relationship with Kim and emphasizing that “he (Kim) is certainly a Nuclear Power.”

Trump further mentioned past U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms reduction talks and stated, “Kim Jong-un has a lot of nuclear weapons,” noting that other countries like India and Pakistan also possess them.

This is not the first time Trump has referred to North Korea as a nuclear power; he previously used the term during a media Q&A at the White House right after his inauguration on January 20. However, despite North Korea possessing nuclear weapons, the international community does not recognize it as a nuclear power due to diplomatic and military implications. Past U.S. administrations have also refrained from using this term when referring to North Korea.

Speculation Grows Over U.S. Policy on North Korea’s Nuclear Status

Some analysts speculate that Trump’s remarks may suggest a shift in U.S. policy on North Korea’s nuclear status, but the White House reaffirmed its commitment to complete denuclearization of North Korea. Many in the U.S. diplomatic community believe that Trump, who is not a foreign policy expert, may not have used the term “nuclear power” with precise intent.

Reflecting on his first term’s U.S.-North Korea dialogue, Trump claimed, “I had a good relationship with Kim Jong-un,” and argued that if he had not won the 2016 election and Hillary Clinton had become president, “you would have had a nuclear war with North Korea, and millions would have died.”

He mentioned the U.S.-North Korea summits in Singapore and Vietnam, saying, “Kim did not meet with Barack Obama or even take his calls, but with me, we started off roughly and intensely, yet we met.”

Trump Credits U.S.-North Korea Summits for 2018 Olympics Success

Trump also claimed that the U.S.-North Korea summits contributed to South Korea’s success in hosting the Olympics, referring to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. He said, “Before that, no one bought tickets because they were afraid of a nuclear attack. Then I met Kim, the Olympics were successful, and North Korea even participated. That was a great achievement of the Trump administration.”

However, the 2018 Winter Olympics took place in February, while the first U.S.-North Korea summit was held in June of that year.

By Mooyoung Lee  [lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com]