Tokyo (Japan): Emphasising that he was not "disturbed" by the short-range missile tests recently conducted by North Korea, US President Donald Trump said he has confidence in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, and also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Bidan a low IQ individual, and worse. Perhaps that's sending me a signal?" the US president wrote on Twitter.
The remarks made by Trump, who is on a four-day state visit to Japan, came as a major blow ahead of his meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which are set to begin later in the day.
The Japanese government has said that North Korea's recent test of short-range missiles violated the UN resolutions, a determination that national security adviser John Bolton had also agreed within Tokyo on Saturday during a briefing with reporters before Trump arrived in Japan.
Bolton was quoted as saying by the media reports that North Korea on May 4 and 9 tested short-range ballistic missiles, ending a pause in launches that began in late 2017.
During his meeting with Abe, Trump is also expected to reflect on a possible summit between Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as an additional push toward resolving North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.
The two leaders are to discuss North Korea as well as trade, security, and tensions with Iran.
