Trump hails N. Korea’s ‘tremendous’ economic potential

Trump claims Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe nominated him for Nobel Peace Prize because of North Korea diplomacy efforts but says ‘I’ll probably never get it’

  • President said Friday that Japan’s PM sent a letter to the Nobel Peace Prize committee nominating him because of his work on North Korea
  • Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un will have their second summit this month in Vietnam
  • President said he will ‘probably never get’ the prestigious prize and snarked about Barack Obama winning it in his first year as president
  • ‘He didn’t even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize,’ Trump sniffed 

Donald Trump said on Friday that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe had sent him a copy of a five-page letter delivered to the Nobel Peace Prize committee, nominating the U.S. president for his efforts to defuse tensions with North Korea.

‘He said, “I have nominated you,” or “respectfully, on behalf of Japan, I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize.” I said thank you,’ Trump said during a press event announcing his decision to declare a national emergency at America’s southern border.

‘Many other people feel that way, too. I’ll probably never get it. That’s okay,’ Trump said.

‘They gave it to Obama,’ the president continued, recalling the award his predecessor received after less than a year in office.

President Donald Trump claimed Friday that his Japanese counterpart nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize

Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, pictured last year during their first summit in Singapore, will meet for a second time later this month

Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzō, pictured in November 2018 at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Buenos Aires, are strong allies

‘He didn’t even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize. He said, “Oh, what did I get it for?” With me, I probably will never get it,’ Trump said. 

The surprising anecdote came as he hailed Pyongyang’s ‘tremendous’ economic potential and his ‘great relationship’ with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un ahead of a second scheduled summit between the two leaders.

Trump also took a second dig at Barack Obama, suggesting his predecessor had been close to going to war with the nuclear-armed state.


  • North Korea has produced enough bomb fuel for up to seven…


    Trump announces second North Korea summit will be in Hanoi…


    Trump uses bizarre sing-song voice to claim that he will…


    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is first out of the gates with move…

Share this article

Pyongyang has yet to provide any official confirmation of the Feb 27-28 summit, which will be the second time the pair come together following their Singapore meeting on June 12, 2018.

But Trump held out the prospect of growth and prosperity for the impoverished and isolated country should it follow a path of peace.

‘Their location between South Korea and Russia and China, right smack in the middle, is phenomenal. And we think they have a great chance for tremendous economic prosperity in the future,’ Trump said.

The president later hailed his warm relationship with Kim, adding that such an accomplishment had been beyond the capacity of Obama.

Recalling a conversation he had with Obama shortly before entering office, Trump said: ‘I don’t want to speak for him but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea. I think he was ready to go to war, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea. Where are we now? No missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing.’

Former President Barack Obama posed with his Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 2009, less than a year into his presidency

‘We’ve learned a lot. But much more importantly… we have a great relationship. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un.’

Trump also ran through some of the highlights of the fiery rhetoric he and Kim exchanged in 2017 when tensions between the two countries were sky-rocketing.

‘It was a very tough dialogue at the beginning: Fire and fury, total annihilation, my button is bigger than yours.

‘People said ‘Trump is crazy.’ And you know what it ended up being? A very good relationship. I like him a lot and he likes me a lot. Nobody else would have done that. The Obama administration couldn’t have done it.’

Source: Read Full Article