Trump directs aides to seek Kim Jong Un meeting at November APEC summit

Proposed meeting in Shenzhen

US President Donald Trump is pressing his aides to arrange a face-to-face meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as early as this autumn. According to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, the initiative seeks to revive diplomatic negotiations aimed at North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Trump discussed the possibility of in-person discussions privately with aides while planning his upcoming travel schedule in Asia. Officials noted that the proposed encounter could take place in November 2026 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China. The outreach comes seven years after the leaders held their first summit during Trump's first presidential term, when three separate meetings yielded no binding accord on weapons dismantling.

Scaling back Korean Peninsula drills

The push for renewed bilateral talks follows public steps by Trump to alter American military posture on the Korean Peninsula. On 16 August 2026, as US and South Korean armed forces prepared to begin scheduled annual joint military drills, Trump published a message on Truth Social denouncing the operation. Trump stated that he was unhappy that the United States had agreed to take part, characterizing the exercises as inappropriate and hostile. Claiming that it was too late to fully cancel the drills, he instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially scale back US involvement. The Pentagon press office, referring to the Department of War, subsequently released a one-line statement on Monday afternoon confirming that officials were actively working on executing the commander-in-chief's directive for the 11-day exercise.

North Korea's expanded arsenal

During his first presidential term, Trump held three face-to-face meetings with Kim, declaring that the two leaders had established a strong personal relationship. However, those negotiations concluded without an agreement on denuclearization, and North Korea subsequently accelerated its weapons development. Current estimates cited by proliferation experts indicate that Pyongyang now possesses approximately 60 nuclear weapons alongside ballistic missiles capable of reaching the continental United States. Beyond its ballistic missile testing, North Korea has supplied weapons, ammunition, and military troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Despite Trump's statements asserting that North Korea has remained unthreatening and respectful throughout his presidency, the government in Pyongyang has maintained public silence regarding the recent overtures.

Contrasting strategies on Iran and Pyongyang

Trump's renewed attention toward Pyongyang comes as his foreign policy faces difficulties in the Middle East. US forces bombed Iranian uranium stockpiles in June 2025, leaving them buried under rubble, while recent administration efforts have focused on maintaining navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In his social media statements, Trump expressed displeasure with the South Korean government, criticizing Seoul for declining to join his efforts toward the denuclearization of Iran. Scholars including Robert Litwak of George Washington University noted the contrast between the military confrontation with Tehran and the conciliatory approach directed at North Korea.

We're at war with Iran, a nuclear-threshold state. But with North Korea we are placating a dictator who can target the U.S. homeland with nuclear weapons.