Trump Pushes To Meet Kim Jong Un Again but His Trusted Sister Claims She's 'Unaware' of US-North Korea Talks

Donald Trump says he wants to sit down with Kim Jong Un again. Yet Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's powerful sister, says she has no knowledge of any recent communication between her brother and the US President.

The mixed signals emerged this week as Trump doubled down on claims that Kim had responded to his overtures, even as he moved to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. It is a familiar pattern from Trump's first term, when personal diplomacy with Kim dominated headlines. This time, however, North Korea's nuclear capabilities have expanded considerably, raising fresh questions about what another Trump-Kim summit could achieve.

Why Trump Insists Kim Has Responded to His Overtures

On Tuesday, a reporter asked Trump why Kim had not responded to his request for talks. Trump turned the question back on them: 'How do you know he hasn't responded?' Pressed further, he confirmed it directly: 'Yeah, he has.' He later described the exchange as 'very positive'.

The comments came a day after Trump revealed that he had instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to 'substantially' reduce joint military exercises with South Korea in a post on Truth Social. Trump argued that the drills were costly and sent a 'totally inappropriate and hostile' signal to North Korea, again pointing to his 'very good relationship' with Kim.

The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise was subsequently shortened from 11 days to five, with the US and South Korea also reducing some field training activities. Asked whether the move favoured North Korea over its southern neighbour, Trump pushed back firmly. 'I get along with him (Kim) very well. No, what I am doing is making things safer, just the opposite,' he said.

He added that Kim had always treated him 'with great respect', recalling: 'We met on numerous occasions, actually two primary occasions, spoken and spent time. I understand him. He understands me.'

Kim Yo Jong's Pointed Response From Pyongyang

Kim Yo Jong is no ordinary North Korean official. As Kim Jong Un's younger sister and one of his closest advisers, she is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Pyongyang and a key voice on North Korea's relations with the outside world.

That is what made her statement this week so striking. 'Regarding the recent news from Washington about communication between the leaders of North Korea and the United States, I am completely unaware of it,' she said. 'It is likely the only matter concerning our top leadership's foreign policy that I am unaware of.'

The remark, laced with irony, appeared designed to cast doubt on Trump's account without directly accusing him of being untruthful. At the same time, Kim Yo Jong said that her brother retained 'good personal memories and feelings' towards Trump, maintaining that the two leaders' relationship is 'excellent'.

What Another Trump-Kim Summit Could Mean for the Region

Trump tried to arrange a meeting with Kim during his Asia trip in 2025, asking reporters aboard Air Force One to 'put out the word' that he wanted to talk. He later said he would have liked to meet Kim during the trip, but no meeting was arranged.

Trump ultimately met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on 30 October 2025, for roughly 100 minutes. He later suggested that meeting Kim at the same time could have overshadowed his talks with Xi and might have been 'maybe disrespectful'.

Trump has now revived his push for another meeting, reportedly with an eye on a possible encounter later this year. A renewed summit would mark the fourth meeting between the two leaders and could revive questions over North Korea's nuclear programme, sanctions and the future of US-South Korean military cooperation.

Trump's latest move to reduce the military exercises has been welcomed cautiously in Seoul. The South Korean presidential office said it hoped the countries' 'friendly relationship' would lead to 'meaningful dialogue' between Washington and Pyongyang and help promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Yet most US presidents have avoided meeting Kim without preconditions, and sceptics remain unconvinced that personal diplomacy alone can deliver lasting results. 'It appeases yet another despotic dictator based on a misperception that a personal relationship will actually achieve US foreign policy objectives,' said Bruce Klingner, a former senior CIA officer and distinguished expert in Korean and Japanese affairs.