Remarks in a Meeting With Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un of North Korea and an Exchange With Reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam

Chairman Kim. And I believe that, starting from yesterday, the whole world is looking at this spot right now. Because there are people who are welcoming this meeting. There are people who have remained skeptical about this meeting. But I'm sure that all of them would be watching the moment that we're sitting together, side-by-side, as if they're watching a fantasy movie. [Laughter]

So we have made a lot of efforts so far, and we thought that now it's time for us to come to Hanoi, sit together, and then have this wonderful dialogue. And let me assure you that I will do all my best to bring a good result, ultimately, today. Thank you.

President Trump. Well, thank you very much, Chairman Kim. And it's great to be with you again, and I'm sure, over the years, we'll be together a lot. And I think we'll also be together after the fact, meaning after the deal is made.

We had very good discussions last night at dinner, and the predinner was very good. And there are a lot of great ideas being thrown about. I think, very importantly, the relationship is, you know, just very strong. And when you have a good relationship, a lot of good things happen.

So I can't speak necessarily for today, but I can say that just a little bit longer term and over a period of time, I know we're going to have a fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea. They're going to have an economic powerhouse. I've been writing about it; I've been talking about it. I think it's going to be an economic powerhouse, and it's something I very much look forward to helping with, because with a little bit of help—in the right location, in the right place—I think it's going to be something very special.

Please.

[At this point, the interpreter translated President Trump's above remarks into Korean.]

I've been saying, very much from the beginning, that speed is not that important to me. I very much appreciate no testing of nuclear rockets, missiles, any of it. Very much appreciate it.

And Chairman Kim and I had a great talk about that last night. I'd let him say what he said if he'd like to, and if he doesn't, he doesn't have to. But we had a very good talk about that last night. And again, I am in no rush. Just, we don't want the testing, and we've developed something very special with respect to that.

But I just want to say I have great respect for Chairman Kim, and I have great respect for his country. And I believe that it will be something, economically, that will be almost hard to compete with for many countries, it has such potential.

Okay?

[The interpreter translated President Trump's above remarks into Korean.]

Would you like to say something? I'm finished, yes.

[Chairman Kim spoke in Korean, and no translation was provided.] President Trump. Good? Good? Good.

Thank you all very much. We're going to start a discussion now with our teams, and thank you all very much. Appreciate it.

North Korea-U.S. Relations

Q. Mr. Kim, are you hopeful?

Q. Do you have a peace deal now?

President Trump. We're going to see. We're going to see. No rush.

North Korea-U.S. Relations

Q. Will you declare an end to the war, sir?

President Trump. No rush. No rush. There's no rush. We just want to do the right deal. Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal. Speed is not important. What's important is that we do the right deal.

Thank you all very much.

Q. Chairman Kim, are you confident? [Inaudible]—about a deal?

Chairman Kim. Well, it's too early to tell. But I wouldn't say that I'm pessimistic. From what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results would come out.

President Trump. Thank you. Thank you very much.