Trump says he'd be 'honored' to meet with Kim Jong Un 'under the right circumstances'

President Donald Trump told Bloomberg News on Monday that he would be "honored" to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "under the right circumstances."

"If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it," Trump said. "If it's under the, again, under the right circumstances. But I would do that."

Most likely, the "right circumstances" would entail North Korea showing a willingness to halt or reverse its nuclear and ballistic missile programs that have elevated it to the single greatest security threat to the US.

"Most political people would never say that... but I'm telling you under the right circumstances I would meet with him," Trump said. "We have breaking news."

Trump's comments echo Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's earlier comments to NPR that the US would prefer to engage in the process of denuclearization with North Korea diplomatically though direct talks, as opposed to the military action Trump's administration has repeatedly suggested.