Trump on North Korea: ‘They’re gonna be great’

President Trump said Saturday that he anticipates “tremendous success” in his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“I think North Korea is going to go very well,” he said. “I think we will have tremendous success … they promised they wouldn’t be shooting off missiles in the meantime, and they’re looking to de-nuke. They’re gonna be great.”  

President Trump answers question on North Korea while departing the White House for Pennsylvania:

“I think North Korea is going to go very well. They promised they wouldn’t be shooting off missiles in the meantime, and they’re looking to de-nuke.” pic.twitter.com/4JG3SJDPzM

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 10, 2018

The White House announced late Thursday that Trump would accept an invitation to meet face-to-face with Kim, a first for a sitting U.S. president. South Korean officials said that North Korea was willing to cease its missile testing while talks with the U.S. are ongoing. 

{mosads}

In recent weeks, Trump has spoken of his hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea, after months of rising tensions between the two country’s leaders. 

Trump and Kim exchanged insults and threats for months, as North Korea continued testing its intercontinental ballistic missiles. 

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday that the meeting will not happen unless North Korea takes “concrete and verifiable steps” to keep their “promises” about the talks.