Trump won't say if Kim Jong Un is mentally stable, but promises military buildup
(US President Donald Trump at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.The White House via YouTube)
At a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday, Fox News reporter John Roberts asked President Donald Trump about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's mental health.
"Do you believe that the leader of North Korea is mentally unstable? Is he a man who can be reasoned with?" asked Roberts.
While Trump didn't address Kim's mental state, he did promise a military buildup.
"As far as North Korea is concerned, we're in very good shape. We're building our military rapidly," said Trump.
"I've been here for approximately 91 days. We're doing a lot of work. I can't answer your question on stability. I hope the answer is a positive one, not a negative one," Trump continued.
The president then shifted to talking about his meeting and understanding with China's president, Xi Jinping, who Trump has repeatedly stressed is a key player in solving the North Korean dilemma.
"I have great respect for the president of China," Trump said.
"All of the pundits are saying they never have seen China work like they're working now" to address North Korea, Trump said. The US president later referenced China rejecting routine coal shipments from Pyongyang while North Korea appears on the verge of another nuclear test.
Without specifying, Trump said "some very unusual moves have been made over the last two or three hours" between China and North Korea.
"I have absolute confidence that he will be trying very hard" to handle North Korea, Trump said of Xi.
Trump again stressed that he leveraged the US and China's trade relationship to pressure Xi into doing something about "the menace of North Korea."
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