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Trump points to Kim relationship at Ohio rally
President Donald Trump said he gets along “very well” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, then cited an unexplained figure of “112 nuclear missiles” during a midterm campaign speech in Ohio on the 3rd.
Trump made the comment while arguing that maintaining good relations with the leaders of major nuclear powers is beneficial. After discussing his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said, “I get along very well with Kim Jong Un,” identified him as the leader of North Korea and added that it is good to get along when someone has 112 nuclear missiles.
Because the figure immediately followed his reference to Kim, it appeared to describe North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Trump, however, did not explain the number or provide evidence supporting it.
Number conflicts with Trump’s earlier claim
The figure differs sharply from one Trump gave less than two months earlier. Asked in August whether he had exchanged letters with Kim, Trump declined to say but again emphasized their relationship and claimed the North Korean leader possessed 57 “very powerful nuclear weapons.”
It is unlikely that North Korea’s arsenal nearly doubled in that period, raising the possibility that Trump misspoke. It remains unclear whether the figure of 112 was based on intelligence or was simply an error.
Estimates of North Korea’s nuclear stockpile vary widely. In August, former South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back cited domestic research institutions in saying the arsenal was generally estimated at between 80 and 120 weapons.
U.S. policy still calls for denuclearization
Trump has repeatedly spoken of North Korea as an established nuclear power. On the first day of his second term, Jan. 20 of last year, he called the country a “nuclear power” and has used similar language since then.
Those remarks have fueled interpretations that Trump views North Korea’s advancing weapons program as making denuclearization increasingly difficult. The U.S. government, however, continues to say that the complete denuclearization of North Korea remains its policy goal.
Trump made a similar point on the 29th of last month when asked why North Korea could possess nuclear weapons while Iran could not. Calling Kim his friend, Trump said the North Korean leader had a substantial nuclear capability, though not one comparable to that of the United States.
At the Ohio event, Trump drew a clear distinction between the two countries, saying Iran would “never” be allowed to possess nuclear missiles. His comments treated North Korea’s arsenal as a reason to maintain a relationship with Kim while rejecting the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran.
Speculation about another summit
Some international news reports have suggested Trump could seek a summit with Kim before the November midterm elections and use renewed diplomacy to bolster domestic political support. There has also been speculation that the United States could view November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, as an opportunity to restart talks with North Korea.
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