US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday, while calling the reclusive state's leader a "nuclear power", Reuters reported.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump was asked whether he intended to reestablish contact with Kim.
"I would ... I have a great relationship with Kim Jong Un, and we'll see what happens, but certainly he's a nuclear power," he responded.
Trump had previously referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power" during his inauguration on January 20, raising speculation about whether his administration would focus on arms reduction rather than the full denuclearization efforts that faltered during his first term.
Referencing global nuclear arsenals, Trump remarked, "It would be a great achievement if we could bring down the number. We have so many weapons, and the power is so great. “
"And number one, you don't need them to that extent. And then we'd have to get others, 'cause, as you know, in a smaller way - Kim Jong Un has a lot of nuclear weapons, by the way, a lot, and others do also. You have India, you have Pakistan, you have others that have them, and we get them involved."
A White House official, when asked whether Trump's comments signaled a policy shift, maintained that "President Trump will pursue the complete denuclearization of North Korea, just as he did in his first term."
Kim has maintained a confrontational stance against the United States and South Korea. This comes despite past outreach efforts from Trump, who held historic summits with Kim during his first term and recently stated that he would "reach out to him again."
During Trump’s first presidency from 2017 to 2021, he met Kim three times—in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Korean border. Despite the historic meetings, their diplomacy yielded no tangible results.
North Korea upped its rhetoric in 2024 and staged dozens of launches of missiles. In early November, North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, just days after it announced it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile, prompting condemnation from the South, the United States and Japan.
In mid-September, North Korea fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles.
In January, Kim urged an expansion of the country's nuclear capabilities. Last week, the North Korean leader personally oversaw the test-launch of a strategic cruise missile and ordered full preparedness for nuclear strikes.
Last week, North Korea revealed for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction.
State-run media released images showing what it described as “a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.” The report also detailed Kim’s visits to key shipyards where the country’s warships are being developed.