U.S. President Donald Trump is urging his advisors to arrange a new meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The potential meeting is planned for November, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, China.

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According to the U.S. newspaper, the president has privately discussed the possibility of holding this summit during his upcoming trip to Asia. This initiative reflects his pursuit of a historic foreign policy achievement, in a context where other international agendas are stalled. It’s worth noting that in October 2025, during the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, the White House explored a quick meeting that ultimately failed to materialize due to Pyongyang’s lack of response.

As a tangible gesture toward Pyongyang, Seoul announced that joint military exercises with the United States will end on August 21, six days earlier than planned. These exercises were scheduled to involve some 18,000 South Korean troops and 14 joint field drills.

Now, the on-the-ground training will be reduced, and the second phase, which included counterattack operations, will be eliminated. Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce its participation, arguing that these exercises send an inappropriate message to a country he considered “respectful” during his presidencies.

Media tension surrounded these announcements when Trump told CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes to be quiet at the White House. When questioned about contacts with Pyongyang, the president called her “loud” and “boisterous,” accusing her of spreading “fake news.” Despite the interruption, Trump asserted that Kim had responded to his messages and that the exchanges were “very positive,” though he offered no details about their content.

TRUMP REVELA SU PECULIAR RELACIÓN CON KIM JONG-UN
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, volvió a destacar la relación que mantiene con el líder de Corea del Norte, Kim Jong-un, a quien describió como alguien con quien logró establecer un entendimiento personal… pic.twitter.com/X9P0xAkmmW

— Maibort Petit (@maibortpetit) August 17, 2026

The text reads, “TRUMP REVEALS HIS PECULIAR RELATIONSHIP WITH KIM JONG-UN U.S. President Donald Trump once again highlighted the relationship he maintains with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whom he described as someone with whom he managed to establish an unusually personal understanding.”

Washington’s unilateral decision has generated unease in Seoul. The government of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung publicly supports resuming dialogue and hopes it will reduce tensions. However, the unilateral way in which Trump ordered the reduction of the military exercises fuels fears that decisions directly affecting North Korean security will end up being negotiated solely between Trump and Kim.

This concern is heightened because North Korea has expanded its nuclear arsenal and its rapprochement with Moscow has taken on an unprecedented military dimension, with thousands of soldiers fighting in Ukraine. Furthermore, Kim has repaired relations with Beijing following Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang in June.

Trump and Kim held three meetings during the Republican’s first term. The first, in Singapore in June 2018, was historic, resulting in the signing of a declaration to work toward “complete denuclearization,” although without establishing verification mechanisms. The second, in Hanoi in February 2019, ended abruptly without an agreement after disagreements arose over nuclear dismantling and the lifting of sanctions.

Four months later, on the demarcation line between the two Koreas, Trump took several steps toward the North, becoming the first sitting president to set foot on that territory. However, that scene also failed to lead to any nuclear agreement, and subsequent negotiations collapsed.

The Strait of Hormuz became the center of a new diplomatic dispute after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to declare the strategic waterway a potential territory of the United States.

Trump made the statement on Friday, August 14, during a public event in New York. He said… pic.twitter.com/o4iVTpQhwC

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 15, 2026

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