President Trump said Tuesday that he was surprised by North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un’s “great personality.”
“Really, he’s got a great personality,” Trump told Voice of America contributor Greta Van Susteren after the historic summit. “He’s a funny guy, he’s very smart, he’s a great negotiator.”
What is not surprising is that Kim “loves his people,” Trump said.
{mosads} The president also said Tuesday in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that the North Korean people “love” Kim back. Kim faces multiple allegations of human rights abuses according to international watchdog organizations.
Trump has been heaping praise on the North Korean leader following their landmark meeting in Singapore on Tuesday.
Trump called Kim “talented” and credited the leader, who is 34, for ruling his country at a young age.
“Well, he is very talented,” Trump said. “Anybody that takes over a situation like he did at 26 years of age and is able to run it and run it tough. I don’t say he was nice.”
“Very few people at that age – you can take one out of ten thousand probably couldn’t do it.”
Kim is one of of the youngest national leaders in the world and rose to power through his family line.
Trump admitted during a press conference following the summit that he might end up being wrong to trust Kim but that he probably would not say so.
“I don’t know that I’ll ever admit that, but I’ll find some kind of an excuse,” Trump said with a smile.