'I Get Along Great With Kim Jong Un': Trump Praises North Korean Leader, Says '112 Nuclear Missiles' Make Good Ties Important | VIDEO

Washington: US President Donald Trump has once again praised his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying he “gets along great” with the North Korean dictator and arguing that maintaining good ties is important when dealing with leaders of nuclear-armed nations.

Trump made the remarks during a campaign rally in Ohio on Saturday while defending his approach to leaders of major global powers, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

'I Get Along Great With Kim Jong Un'

“I get along great with Kim Jong Un of North Korea,” Trump said at the rally.

He then highlighted the importance of maintaining relations with leaders who command significant nuclear capabilities.

“Isn’t it nice to get along with the leaders of massive nations, massive nuclear nations?” Trump said, adding that “when people have 112 nuclear missiles, it’s nice to get along.”

Trump did not explain what the figure of 112 referred to. Since the remark came immediately after his reference to Kim, it appeared to be linked to North Korea's nuclear or missile capabilities. However, Trump did not explicitly state that Pyongyang possesses exactly 112 nuclear missiles.

Trump Signals Interest In Renewing Kim Diplomacy

Trump's latest comments come as he continues to signal interest in reviving his personal diplomacy with Kim.

The US president has previously indicated that he hopes to meet the North Korean leader again later this year. Trump and Kim held three high-profile meetings during his first presidency in Singapore in 2018, Hanoi in 2019 and at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom later that year.

The remarks also come amid continued tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. Pyongyang has rejected calls for denuclearisation and has maintained that its status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible.

From Shehbaz Sharif To Mamdani, Trump Highlights Personal Ties

Trump's comments about Kim come after his recent praise for other political figures, including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

His remarks on Kim similarly underline his longstanding preference for highlighting personal rapport as a tool in dealing with political leaders, particularly those from countries with which Washington has complicated or adversarial relations.

Trump has repeatedly argued that maintaining a personal relationship with leaders such as Kim can help prevent conflict and create an avenue for direct negotiations.

'It's Nice To Get Along'

Trump's latest remarks reflect the approach he has taken towards Kim since his first presidency, when their relationship shifted from threats and heated rhetoric to unprecedented face-to-face diplomacy.

While previous talks failed to produce a denuclearisation agreement, Trump has continued to portray his personal relationship with Kim as an asset.

His latest comments suggest that, despite the absence of a major diplomatic breakthrough so far, Trump still sees maintaining a direct line with Kim as strategically valuable particularly given North Korea's growing nuclear and missile capabilities.