U.S. President Donald Trump warned Saturday that his meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12 is a “one-time shot” for the reclusive leader.
Before leaving the international Group of Seven summit in Quebec, Trump told reporters that he expects to know right away if Kim is serious about giving up the country’s nuclear weapons. “Within the first minute I’ll know,” he said. “It’s what I do.”
He has described his planned meeting with Kim as a “mission of peace” and expressed optimism about North Korea’s future. “We think North Korea will be a tremendous place in a very short period of time,” Trump said.
On Friday, Trump defended his readiness for the summit, telling reporters, “I’ve been preparing for this all my life.”
WATCH: President Trump on N. Korea Summit
The president himself sparked discussion about his preparations Thursday, when he told reporters that although he believes he is well prepared for the talks, “I don’t think I need to prepare very much. It’s about attitude, it’s about willingness to get things done.”
The Trump administration is seeking the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In exchange, Pyongyang is believed to be seeking relief from international sanctions.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hinted Thursday that Congress might be given a say in any deal Trump may reach with the North Korean leader.
Pompeo was responding to a reporter’s question about whether a future president could undo an agreement — the way Trump pulled the United States out of the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran.
If talks do not go well, Trump has made clear he is prepared to walk away and to impose even more sanctions against Pyongyang, potentially increasing tensions between the two nations and the region. Voice of America
