President Donald Trump welcomed South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to the White House on Monday for their first official meeting, The Guardian reported.
The visit comes at a time of strained U.S.-South Korea relations, with trade and defense expected to dominate discussions.
President Donald J. Trump welcomes South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to the White House 🇺🇸🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/fKR9L1ptbC
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 25, 2025
Trump told reporters that the talks would focus on serious trade issues, while Lee praised the U.S. president as a “peacemaker” and expressed hopes to expand cooperation in shipbuilding and manufacturing.
.@POTUS: "It's an honor to be with President Lee of South Korea... We're going to have some very serious discussions about different things, including trade." pic.twitter.com/j0O1SMokqQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 25, 2025
Trump also revisited his 2016 election victory, claiming it averted a nuclear war between North and South Korea. He argued that without his leadership, a devastating conflict would have been inevitable, stressing America’s unmatched nuclear strength.
President Lee Jae Myung tells @POTUS that the situation on the Korean peninsula was "stable" during his first term, but that North Korea further developed its nuclear capabilities under Biden.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 25, 2025
"They would not have done that if I were President."
"I completely agree with you." pic.twitter.com/2l2fFEKmig
On Ukraine, Trump said he preferred Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet directly before U.S. involvement.
He described the ongoing conflict as “a whole new form of war” and suggested key developments could emerge within the next two weeks.
According to The Guardian, Trump said he has a “great relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, adding, “I know him well. I spent a lot of time with him, talking about things most people wouldn’t expect.”
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TIPP Staff
