US President Donald Trump has attributed North Korea’s continued possession of nuclear weapons to decisions made by previous US administrations.
Speaking on Tuesday, Trump was asked why North Korea is allowed to possess nuclear weapons while the United States is seeking to prevent Iran from acquiring them.
“Because you had a different president,” Trump said, referring to previous US leadership.
He noted that North Korea’s nuclear programme could have been stopped earlier.
Trump then pointed to his relationship with Kim, saying the North Korean leader is “a friend of mine” and has a positive view of him.
“He likes Trump. He doesn’t like a lot of other people.
“I’m about the only person in the entire world that he likes, and I like him.” Trump said.
Trump’s remarks follows international attention on nuclear proliferation, particularly the US position that Iran should not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons while North Korea maintains an established nuclear arsenal.
The US president has maintained a personal diplomatic relationship with Kim since his first administration, including historic meetings between the two leaders aimed at addressing North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The Trump administration has continued to raise North Korea as part of its broader discussions on global security and nuclear arms control.
The White House said Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping also discussed North Korea during their September 2026 meeting.
