President Donald Trump spent the weekend talking up his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, even using it to justify scaling back a major U.S.-South Korean military exercise.
But when a reporter pressed Trump on whether Kim had actually responded to his request for a conversation, the president suddenly sounded far less certain about the relationship he had been touting.
The brief exchange left Trump scrambling to explain Kim’s alleged response — and prompted a wave of skepticism online.
The awkward moment came as Trump was defending his decision to order Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea, a move Trump said was based in part on his relationship with Kim.
Asked why Kim had not responded to his request for a conversation, Trump initially challenged the premise, then claimed-without proof-that the North Korean leader had already responded.
The exchange began with a straightforward question: “Why hasn’t Kim Jung Un responded to your request to have a conversation?”
Trump replied: “How do you know he hasn’t?”
The reporter followed up: “Has he?”
Trump paused before answering: “Uh … yeah, he has.”
Q: Why hasn't Kim Jung Un responded to your request to have a conversation?
— FactPost (@factpostnews) August 17, 2026
Trump: How do you know he hasn't?
Q: Has he?
Trump: Uh… Yeah he has. pic.twitter.com/RXuoNkvK03
The response immediately drew misgivings, with critics questioning whether Trump had actually received a response from Kim or was simply trying to avoid acknowledging that his overture had apparently gone unanswered.
“That was Trump quickly assessing whether they could confirm his lie,” one critic wrote on X.
Another person called out: “Liar liar liar; always.”
A third reaction on Threads described the moment as unusually obvious, writing: “That was probably the most obvious lie he’s ever told, which is saying something.”
And another commenter offered a simple rebuttal to Trump’s claim: “No he hasn’t.”
The exchange came one day after Trump announced his decision on the U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Trump said the drills sent “inappropriate and hostile” signals to North Korea, which he described as having been “unthreatening and respectful” toward the United States during his presidency.
Seemingly in response to the backlash, Trump posted a meme showing Kim on a telephone with the caption, “Hey Donald, we cool… right?”
“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” he said.
The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise began Monday; however, a South Korean Defense Ministry official told ABC News that the drills “will be carried on as planned.”
South Korea is a longtime U.S. ally and hosts about 28,500 American troops. The military presence has traditionally been aimed at deterring renewed fighting on the Korean Peninsula, where the Korean War ended with an armistice in 1953 rather than a formal peace treaty.
North Korea has also continued developing its nuclear arsenal and ballistic missile program despite years of international sanctions. Its missiles include systems capable of reaching the continental United States.
Trump’s announcement followed a North Korean threat Friday to respond forcefully to the U.S.-South Korean exercises. It also came as Pyongyang has strengthened its relationships with Russia and Iran, placing it increasingly at odds with Washington and its allies.
Trump has repeatedly portrayed his relationship with Kim as a diplomatic success. His first term, however, began with threats and insults, including his description of Kim as “little rocket man” and warnings of “fire and fury.” The relationship later shifted, and Trump and Kim met three times in 2018 and 2019 in Singapore, Vietnam, and at the Demilitarized Zone.
Despite those meetings, Trump did not achieve his stated goal of getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Talks collapsed in 2019, and North Korea has continued to conduct ballistic missile tests.
Trump also pointed to South Korea’s refusal to join the U.S. effort against Iran, while acknowledging the issue was “somewhat unrelated (?)” to his decision on the military exercises.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it hoped the relationship between Trump and Kim could produce meaningful talks and contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
“The South Korean government has actively participated from the outset in international discussions aimed at securing a ceasefire in Iran and restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry added.
