President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year [1].
The announcement suggests a potential shift in diplomatic engagement between Washington and Pyongyang, as both nations navigate long-standing tensions over nuclear proliferation.
Speaking during an impromptu White House press briefing in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 19, 2026, Trump said the meeting would build on his praised relationship with Kim [2]. He said the summit would help advance diplomatic progress with North Korea [3].
During the briefing, Trump mentioned the scale of the North Korean arsenal. "We have 57 very powerful nuclear weapons," Trump said [4].
While the president expressed optimism about the upcoming meeting, officials in Pyongyang have offered a different perspective. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North Korean leader, said the United States remains an enemy of Pyongyang [5]. She said she expressed doubt regarding the existence of any secret talks between the two governments [5].
Trump has previously highlighted his personal rapport with Kim as a tool for negotiation. He said he expects to meet with Kim later this year [6].
The proposed meeting comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of North Korea's weapons programs. The contrast between the president's expectations and the statements from Kim Yo-jong highlights the volatility of the diplomatic channel, a recurring theme in U.S.-North Korea relations.
“"I expect to meet with Kim later this year."”
The discrepancy between President Trump's optimism and Kim Yo-jong's hostility indicates a significant gap in diplomatic alignment. While the US administration is signaling a desire for a high-level summit to manage nuclear risks, the North Korean leadership continues to frame the US as an adversary, suggesting that any actual meeting would require overcoming substantial rhetorical and political hurdles.
