Trump tells why some of the leaders who penned private letters in his new book ... trends now
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is 'not a happy person' with the Biden administration and explained why he decided to include letters from world leaders he called 'bad' people.
'We have had lots of great letters from lots of great people and not-so-great people, to be honest with you. Some good ones and some bad ones and some that are in the middle. But they're very famous people,' Trump said of the collection of letters he is including in his new book.
He called Kim, who he has previously described as exchanging 'love letters' with him while in office, 'cunning,' he told DialyMail.com and a handful of reporters.
'He was very smart, very cunning, very streetwise. And we, we spoke a lot, actually, we spoke a lot and I think we had really, you know, a great relationship.'
It came during an interview where the former president wished rival Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell well after his fall at the former Trump hotel.
'I disagree with almost everything he does, but I certainly would like him to get well,' Trump, former President Donald Trump said of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who suffered a fall at the former Trump hotel
'But I thought Kim Jong-un is a very, very interesting guy, and we had a good relationship. And I think he's not a happy person right now with respect to the Biden administration,' Trump said.
Trump's book also includes a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently engaged in a brutal war on Ukraine, with Russia launching dozens of missiles at its neighbor overnight.
As he did while in office, Trump spoke of the benefits of 'getting along' with rivals – and once again claimed Putin would not have invaded on his watch. (Putin invaded Crimea in 2014 and continues to hold the territory).
'Getting along with these leaders, when they have great, powerful weaponry and they you know, have war-like countries. You see that going on right now. Getting along is good. I will tell you Russia: zero chance that Russia would have gotten into Ukraine. Zero, it would have never ever happened,' Trump said without otherwise commenting on the recent anniversary of the war Putin unleashed.
'And zero chance that China would have done what they may be doing and we'll have to see what happens with Taiwan. Zero, zero, zero chance. It just wouldn't have happened.
Trump called North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un 'cunning'
His book includes a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met in Helsinki during his presidency and accepted his denials of election hacking
Trump referenced concerns China could try to invade Taiwan. 'We'll have to see what happens with Taiwan,' he said
Trump called some of the leaders 'bad ones.' He famously exchanged what he called 'love letters' with Kim
Trump dodged a question about whether the book includes letters that are among materials that were held at Mar-a-Lago before an FBI search last summer.
'We have some great letters, some wonderful letters and some we give out and some we don’t. I declassified – I had the power to declassify, do what I wanted to do in that regard as president,' Trump said. 'But we have some great letters, but a lot of these letters were put out anyway.'
He said he kept in touch with 'a lot' of world leaders, but wouldn't say which ones.
'With some I have kept a really good connection. I've had some very good relationships, some really good relationships and you know – you don't just leave and you never speak to somebody again. And I probably would leave it to them to mention who it would be … but a lot of them,' he said.
He mentioned he got an award from Hungary's Viktor Orban. He endorsed the Hungarian prime minister's right wing regime last year.
