WASHINGTON, 18 August 2026 (Ghufran):US President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his efforts to reengage with Pyongyang, a day after Trump ordered the United States to substantially scale back military exercises with South Korea and described North Korea as “unthreatening and respectful.”Trump’s relationship with Kim received significant attention during his first term, when the two leaders met at summits in 2018 and 2019 and exchanged letters. Their negotiations later broke down over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Despite the reduced emphasis on the relationship during Trump’s current term, the US president has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving direct diplomacy with Kim. Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office why Kim had not responded to his efforts to reengage, Trump replied, “he has,” without providing further details. White House officials and North Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately comment.On Sunday, Trump instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to participate in actions against Iran. North Korea has long condemned such exercises as preparations for war.

North Korea remains under heavy international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Since Trump and Kim last met in 2019, Pyongyang has significantly strengthened its ties with Russia while maintaining close relations with China. North Korean troops have also fought alongside Russian forces in the war in Ukraine, while Kyiv has accused Russia of using North Korean-made missiles in attacks.Trump’s administration has repeatedly criticized North Korea’s military support for Russia, but on Monday the US president said Kim had “always treated me with great respect.” “I understand him. He understands me,” Trump said.North Korea’s state news agency, meanwhile, quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying that North Korea and Russia were working to establish a “new and righteous world order.” Lavrov made the remarks in a message to North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, without mentioning Trump.

Analysts said that despite North Korea’s previous coolness toward Trump’s overtures and Kim’s stronger position since their last summit, another meeting between the two leaders remained possible.Victor Cha, head of the Korea program at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, said North Korea was unlikely to respond immediately and would probably wait before making a move. He also suggested that Trump’s renewed focus on North Korea could partly be aimed at shifting attention away from difficulties surrounding the Iran war, although Trump appeared genuinely interested in meeting Kim again.Andrew Yeo of Washington’s Brookings Institution said a meeting could serve Kim’s interests, particularly in terms of reputation and status. He said Kim could benefit from meeting the US president again despite having strengthened ties with Russia and China.Sydney Seiler, a former US National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, said Trump’s latest move was not unprecedented, recalling that the United States suspended major Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises in 2018 as an effort to encourage dialogue with Kim.