Trump Says North Korea Has 57 Nuclear Weapons

US President Donald Trump has claimed that North Korea possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons and said he expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. Trump highlighted his reportedly good relationship with Kim and said North Korea’s nuclear arsenal should never have been allowed to develop. He also reiterated that he wants to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The specific figure of 57 weapons is Trump’s public estimate; US government assessments of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal have not publicly established that exact number. Independent estimates vary.

Trump’s latest comments come after he instructed the Pentagon to significantly scale back annual joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and tensions with North Korea. He has also linked the decision to his relationship with Kim. However, Kim Jong Un’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, pushed back on Trump’s claims of recent communication, saying she was unaware of any such contact and criticising the continued US-South Korea military exercises. The contrasting statements have raised questions over whether Trump’s renewed outreach will lead to another US-North Korea summit.