WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has said North Korea possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, while expressing confidence in his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and indicating that he expects to meet him later this year.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the White House, saying North Korea’s nuclear arsenal should never have been allowed to develop but arguing that the current situation requires engagement with Kim rather than confrontation.
“He has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons,” Trump said, referring to Kim Jong Un. Trump added that he knows the North Korean leader well and believes their relationship could help maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Trump also said he expects to meet Kim later in 2026, although he did not provide a specific date or location. A potential meeting could take place during Trump’s planned Asia trip around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, in November, although no summit has been formally announced.
The figure of 57 nuclear weapons cited by Trump is unusually specific. Public estimates of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal vary considerably, and the exact size of the country’s stockpile remains uncertain. Analysts generally assess that Pyongyang has accumulated enough fissile material to produce dozens of nuclear warheads.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized his personal relationship with Kim, whom he met three times during his first presidency. Their meetings included historic summits in Singapore in 2018 and Hanoi in 2019, followed by a meeting at the Korean Demilitarized Zone later that year.
Those negotiations ultimately failed to produce an agreement on North Korea’s nuclear programme. Pyongyang continued developing its nuclear and missile capabilities after the diplomatic process stalled.
Trump’s latest comments come amid renewed debate over U.S. policy toward North Korea. His administration has sought to balance military preparedness with the possibility of direct diplomacy with Kim.
Trump has also criticized large-scale U.S.-South Korean military exercises, arguing that they are expensive and can contribute to tensions with Pyongyang. Some officials and security analysts, however, have defended the exercises as essential for maintaining the readiness of U.S. and South Korean forces.
North Korea has so far shown limited interest in returning to negotiations on terms previously proposed by Washington. Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s sister and a senior government official, has maintained that the United States remains an adversary.
At the same time, Kim Yo Jong has acknowledged the personal relationship between Trump and her brother, leaving open the possibility that direct communication could resume if both sides see an opportunity for negotiations.
North Korea’s nuclear programme remains one of the most serious security challenges in East Asia. Pyongyang has continued to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, while also strengthening military and strategic ties with Russia and China.
Washington and its allies remain concerned that North Korea could further improve its ability to deliver nuclear weapons over long distances, potentially increasing the threat to South Korea, Japan and the United States.
Trump has argued that his personal relationship with Kim gives him an advantage in dealing with Pyongyang. His approach has emphasized direct communication with the North Korean leader rather than relying solely on traditional diplomatic channels.
A new Trump-Kim summit, if confirmed, could provide an opportunity to discuss North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, missile development, sanctions, military exercises and broader security arrangements on the Korean Peninsula.
However, significant obstacles remain. North Korea has shown little willingness to surrender its nuclear weapons, which it considers essential to its national security. The United States and its allies, meanwhile, continue to seek meaningful limits on Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
A renewed summit would therefore represent a major diplomatic development but would not necessarily guarantee a breakthrough on denuclearization.
For now, there is no confirmed date or location for a new Trump-Kim meeting. Trump’s comments nevertheless indicate that he remains interested in reviving the personal diplomacy that characterized his first administration.
The possibility of renewed engagement comes at a time when tensions remain high in the region, making any direct dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang potentially significant for security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
