Donald Trump: I Received an 'Extraordinary' Letter from Kim Jong Un

After North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned that his country would change its approach in nuclear negotiations if Washington continued to emphasize sanctions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he received an 'extraordinary' letter from Kim Jong Un. On Wednesday, January 1, during a meeting with cabinet members, Trump said, 'I just received an extraordinary letter from Kim Jong Un.' He then expressed his anticipation for a second meeting with the North Korean leader. The first meeting between the U.S. President and the North Korean leader, which was unprecedented, took place last spring in Singapore, where both sides agreed to take steps towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Trump continued his remarks on Wednesday by stating, 'We have really established a very good relationship. We will probably have another meeting.' In his New Year message, Kim emphasized his readiness to meet and talk with the U.S. President, in addition to his warning. Trump also tweeted on Tuesday that he is eager to meet with Kim Jong Un, 'someone who has recognized the tremendous economic potential of North Korea.' Trump further noted that Kim Jong Un stated that North Korea would not build any more nuclear weapons and would not conduct nuclear tests. Previously, Trump had described his meeting with the North Korean leader as a victory. On Wednesday, he also mentioned that if these negotiations had not taken place, Asia would have been embroiled in a major war. North Korea is demanding the lifting of numerous sanctions imposed on its nuclear and missile programs. However, senior officials in the Trump administration have emphasized that the lifting of sanctions will occur only after complete denuclearization in North Korea.