U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 25, 2025.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
President Donald Trump bragged about his “nice relationship” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as he met on the White Home for the primary time Monday with South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung.
Lee sang Trump’s praises through the sitdown, which got here weeks after their nations reached a commerce deal that capped tariffs on South Korea’s exports to the U.S. at 15%.
He requested for Trump’s assist in establishing an enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula.
“I look ahead to your assembly with Chairman Kim Jong Un,” Lee stated, based on a translator within the Oval Workplace.
Lee even floated the thought of a Trump Tower being inbuilt North Korea, and Trump and Kim enjoying golf collectively.
Trump stated he had a “nice relationship” with Kim and that he seems to be “ahead to assembly” with him in “the suitable future.”
“We are able to do massive progress with North Korea,” Trump added.
Trump was requested by a reporter whether or not Lee and Kim may additionally meet.
“That’d be attention-grabbing,” Trump stated.
“We’ll organize a gathering between you and Kim Jong-un. Would you want that?” Trump requested Lee, who took workplace in June after a snap election. Trump’s query drew laughter from others within the room.
“Look, I get alongside nice with Kim Jong-un, and no matter I can do having to do with South Korea and getting individuals collectively, it is best to get collectively, proper?”
Trump’s amicable assembly with Lee got here hours after the American president painted South Korea as a nation in turmoil, writing on social media that the nation seems to be experiencing a “purge” or a “revolution.”
“We will not have that and do enterprise there,” Trump stated on Fact Social earlier than Lee arrived on the White Home.
Requested about that put up earlier than the assembly, Trump informed reporters, “Effectively, I heard that there have been raids on church buildings over the previous few days, very vicious raids on church buildings by the brand new authorities in South Korea, that they even went into our army base and acquired data.”
“They in all probability should not have completed that, however I heard dangerous issues,” Trump stated. “I do not know if it is true or not. I will be discovering out.”
Investigators in South Korea in current weeks have performed searches at church buildings and the Osan Air Base as a part of a probe into South Korea’s former first girl, Kim Keon Hee, on corruption costs. Osan Air Base is operated by the air forces of each the US and South Korea.
Throughout this assembly with Lee, Trump took a a lot softer tone.
“It did not sound to me like South Korea,” he stated of the raids.
The assembly happened amid lingering questions concerning the two nations’ buying and selling relationship.
The 15% tariff price that Trump introduced was decrease than the 25% price he beforehand threatened. However leaders in South Korea have expressed a willingness to proceed negotiations.
“I hear they wish to renegotiate the deal, however that is OK, I do not thoughts that,” Trump stated at first of the assembly.
“That does not imply they’ll get something, however I do not thoughts,” he continued.
After Lee departed the White Home, Trump stated he thinks his commerce cope with South Korea is finished.
“That they had some issues with it, however we caught to our weapons,” Trump informed reporters throughout an unrelated occasion.
“They will make the deal that they agreed to make.”