Trump: I will meet Kim Jong Un before the end of the year; North Korea has 57 nuclear weapons

Donald Trump said Wednesday that he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the end of the year. At the same time, the U.S. president said Pyongyang possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons.

During a visit to construction sites at the White House, Trump was asked by reporters whether he would meet with Kim Jong Un again. “Yes, I will meet with him,” he replied.

Trump also criticized the fact that North Korea had managed to develop nuclear weapons, providing a detailed estimate of the size of its arsenal.

“This should never have happened. If I had been president, I would not have allowed it,” the White House chief said.

Despite this, he insisted that relations with the North Korean leader remain very good. “I know Kim Jong Un very well, and everything will go well as long as we have a smart president,” Trump said.

The U.S. president described his relationship with Kim Jong Un as positive, arguing that communication between them is in their mutual interest.

“The fact that I get along with him is a good thing, not a bad thing. He has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons,” Trump declared.

The comments came after Trump asked Pentagon officials to reduce the U.S. military’s involvement in annual joint exercises with South Korea. He linked the decision to his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un.

Figures on North Korea’s nuclear arsenal have varied depending on assessments made over the years. In June, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated that the country “probably has assembled around 60 nuclear warheads” and possesses enough fissile material to produce at least 30 more.