President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday he is on very good terms with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un despite their recent debate over whose desk has a bigger nuclear button.
"I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un," Trump told The Wall Street Journal Thursday, adding, "I have relationships with people. I think you people are surprised."
When asked if he has talked to Kim, Trump replied, "I don't want to comment on it. I'm not saying I have or haven't. I just don't want to comment."
Trump has in the past called Kim "short and fat" and "a bad dude." He has been fond of mocking Kim as "little rocket man" because of North Korean missile tests.
Kim has called Trump a "mentally deranged dotard" and has threatened to tame him with fire.
Trump appeared to tell the Journal that his tweeted insults and the cryptic comment about good relations with Kim is part of his strategy.
"You'll see that a lot with me," he said about his tweets. "And then all of the sudden somebody's my best friend. I could give you 20 examples. ... I'm a very flexible person."
The president has gone back and forth between an apparent willingness to meet with Kim and calling such talks, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's overtures to the North, a waste of time.
Just this past Wednesday, Trump told South Korean President Moon Jae-in by telephone he is now open to talking to North Korea "at the appropriate time under the right circumstances."
Trump also said he hopes this week's talks between North and South Korea -- the first in two years -- will "lead to success for the world."
川普总统星期四表示，他与朝鲜领导人金正恩关系良好，尽管两人最近为谁的办公桌上有更大的发射核武器按钮大打口水仗。
川普总统星期四对华尔街日报说：“我大概与金正恩有很好的关系。我和很多人都保持关系。我想你们大概感到意外吧。”
在回答他是否与金正恩讲过话的问题时，川普说：“我不想评论。我不说我有过还是没有过，就是不想发表评论。”
川普曾经称金正恩为“矮胖子”和“坏家伙”，还喜欢以朝鲜经常试射火箭为题嘲笑金正恩是个“小火箭人”。
金正恩说川普是“神经错乱的疯老头”，并威胁以火力来惩治他。
川普看来是想告诉华尔街日报，他在推特上对金正恩的嘲弄之词以及有关两人关系良好等含义模糊的言论都是他战略的一部分。
川普总统谈到他的推文时说：“你会看到我经常这样，有人突然就成了我最好的朋友。我可以给你20个例子。我是灵活性很大的人。”
川普总统看来在两点之间徘徊，有时表示愿意与金正恩对话，有时又称这样的对话，包括蒂勒森国务卿对朝鲜伸出的橄榄枝，纯属浪费时间。
川普总统星期三和韩国总统文在寅通电话时说，他现在愿意在适当的时间和条件下与朝鲜会谈。
川普总统还说，他希望这个星期韩国和朝鲜的高层会谈有利于为世界带来成功。这是两年来韩国与朝鲜第一次举行高层会谈。