Trump toes Kim Jong Un's line in a bizarre press conference on no sleep after the summit

Screenshot/Channel News Asia

Trump gives a whirlwind press conference.

• President Donald Trump gave a wild press conference on no sleep on Tuesday after his historic summit in Singapore with Kim Jong Un.
• Trump largely took Kim Jong Un's word for it when it came to trusting North Korea to denuclearize.
• Trump said the US would stop military drills with South Korea, and even called them "provocative," which is North Korea's word for them and a large concession by any standards.
• Trump said human rights were brought up but didn't mention any specifics other than returning remains from the Korean war of the 1950s.
• Trump congratulated everyone for taking part in history, admitted he may be wrong, but expressed hope for the future.

President Donald Trump gave a press conference on no sleep, in what became a bizarre reflection on his foreign policy that seems to cede to Kim Jong Un's way of thinking.

Trump on Tuesday issued a joint statement with Kim. In the document they broadly stated the new, positive diplomatic push between the two countries, but included few specifics of denuclearization.

The statement's only specific provision was that remains of bodies from the Korean war of the 1950s be returned to their families.

After opening the conference with a video presentation that he showed Kim, which asked whether Kim would "shake the hand of peace," Trump took questions for more than an hour.

During that time, Trump did not go after Kim's human rights record, and defended the summit as worthwhile based on his personal perception of Kim.

Trump touted North Korea's unilateral steps towards denuclearization, like destroying its nuclear testing site, though international inspectors weren't allowed to observe or verify that event.

When confronted with the fact that North Korea had agreed in principle to denuclearize before, but always backed out later, Trump said he was taking Kim's word for it.

"I believe he's going to live up to that document," said Trump. "He will start that process right away."

Why "fire and fury" ended in smiles and handshakes

Associated Press

People watch a TV news program showing the Twitter post of U.S. President Donald Trump while reporting North Korea's nuclear issue, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018.

Asked to discuss the military consequences should denuclearization talks fall through, Trump declined, saying "I don't want to be threatening."

"Seoul has 28 million people, think of that. It's right next to the border. It's right next to the DMZ," Trump said of a potential war with North Korea.

"I think you could have lost 20 million people, 30 million people," in that hypothetical conflict, said Trump. For that reason, "this is really an honor for me to be doing this," he continued.

Trump said both the rhetoric of "fire and fury," his threat to nuke North Korea, and the diplomatic sanctions were needed to bring today's talks about.

Trump gives Kim what he wants on military drills

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

South Korean marines participate in a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill as Amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps throw smoke bombs in Pohang March 30, 2015. The drill is part of the two countries' annual military training called Foal Eagle, which runs from March 2 to April 24.

Despite insisting he had given up nothing in meeting with Kim, Trump did make what could be considered a major concession, by saying that the US and South Korea would halt joint war games, and did so using North Korea's own language.

"We will be stopping the war games unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along as it should," said Trump, who called them "very provocative."

North Korea frequently accuses the US and South Korea of provoking it with military exercises, which it sees as a rehearsal for invasion.

Why Trump is sure Kim is for real

Evan Vucci/AP

President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sentosa Island, Tuesday, June 12, 2018, in Singapore.

Asked how the US would ensure North Korea was living up to the agreement, he said it would be "achieved by having a lot of people," both US and international citizens, in North Korea working on denuclearization. He admitted this could take a long time for logistical reasons.

Again pressed on why he trusted Kim Jong Un, who has made no verifiable steps towards denuclearizing, Trump questioned how anyone can be sure of anything.

"Can you ensure anything? Can I ensure that you'll be able to sit down properly when you go to sit down?" Trump asked of a reporter who stood to ask him a question.

"I know when someone wants to deal and I know when someone doesn't," he said. "I just feel very strongly, they want to make a deal."

Human rights

REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

Pak Su Dong, manager of the Soksa-Ri cooperative farm in an area hit by floods and typhoons shows damage to agricultural products in the South Hwanghae province September 29, 2011. In March 2011, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that 6 million North Koreans needed food aid and a third of children were chronically malnourished or stunted.

On the subject of the 100,000 people estimated to be in political prisons in North Korea, Trump denied he had betrayed them by meeting Kim, a man who keeps them locked up in conditions compared to Nazi concentration camps. Trump said he had done all he could for them.

"I think I've helped them. Things will change... I think they are one of the great winners today," said Trump, adding that "there's not much I can do right now."

Trump said he brought up the issue of Japanese abductees with Kim - something that Japan had insisted on - but didn't provide any specific plans for the future.

Grand hope for the future

Sky News

Assembled media being shown the video before Trump gave a press conference.

Trump said he was looking forward to lifting sanctions on North Korea as they progress in denuclearizing, but said they must remain in place until that time. Along with his video that illustrated US hopes for North Korea, Trump painted a picture of a vibrant and open North Korea linking South Korea with China and the world.

"They have great beaches," said Trump of North Korea. "You see that when they're exploding their cannons into the oceans. Instead of that you could have the best hotels in the world there."

Trump also announced that he may visit Kim in Pyongyang and hopes to host him in the US.

Trump concluded the conference by expressing uncharacteristic doubt and praising the summit's historic significance.

"I may stand before you in six months and say 'Hey, I was wrong.' I don't know if I'll ever admit that but I'll find some kind of excuse," Trump said with a laugh.

"It's been a long time since I've taken it easy," a tired Trump said at the closing. "Congratulations everybody. To me it's a very important event in world history."

"To be really true to myself, I want to get it completed," Trump said of North Korea's denuclearization. "We've done a great job but if we don't get the ball over the line it doesn't count."