President Trump responded to unconfirmed reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is in "grave" condition following surgery, telling reporters at a press briefing Tuesday: "I just hope he's doing fine. I have had a very good relationship with Kim Jong-un."
Why it matters: Trump has often touted his close personal relationship with Kim, whom he met with twice in historic summits that ultimately failed to achieve the U.S. goal of denuclearization. The president did not confirm the reports about Kim's health or speculate about North Korea's line of succession.
What he's saying:
"Well, these are reports that came out, and we don't know. We don't know. I've had a very good relationship with him. All I wanted, you know, I can only say this. I wish him well, because if he is in the kind of condition that the reports say, that the news is saying, that's a very serious condition. ... I've said it many times. If somebody else were in this position, we would have been right now at war with North Korea. And we are not at war. We are nowhere close to war with North Korea. I just have to say to Kim Jong-un, I wish him very good luck."
