President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the upcoming summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in Singapore was more than a photo-op, but he downplayed expectations for significant change as a result of the meeting.
“Well, it’s gonna be much more than a photo-op. I think it’s a process,” Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office. “I’ve told you that many times before. I think it’s not a one meeting deal. It would be wonderful if it were.”
The president commented on the upcoming summit prior to a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House.
Trump said he thought the meeting would be “fruitful” and “exciting” simply by breaking the diplomatic freeze between the two countries.
“This will be at a minimum. We’ll start with perhaps a good relationship,” Trump said.
He also said he felt prepared for the meeting, despite not needing to prepare much.
“I don’t think I have to prepare very much. It’s about the attitude,” he said. It’s about willingness to get things done. But I think I’ve been preparing for the summit for a long time, as has the other side.”
Trump warned the regime against any last-minute actions as the summit approached.
He said the sanctions against North Korea would stay in place and that he could enact more if he wanted.
“This is something that should have happened many years ago by other presidents,” Trump said.
Asked by a reporter if he would have a chance to golf during the summit with Kim, Trump replied, “No, I’d love to, but no.”
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