TRANSCRIPT OF TRUMP-KIM VIETNAM SUMMIT: 'I have great respect for Chairman Kim, and I have great respect for his country'

Trump may not get the Peace Prize he has been dreaming of after failing to strike a deal with N. Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un.

Pres. Trump will return to the U.S today after high stake talks with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam over the past two days collapsed. The trip did not result in a solidified nuclear deal in part because Kim wanted the U.S. to lift all sanctions. Trump kept a positive outlook despite not was walking away from the summit with nothing tangible to move a peace accord forward. Although Kim says he will no longer test nuclear weapons, he has not agreed to stop missle launches or stop building North Korea's nuclear arsenal. Nonetheless, Pres. Trump continues to praise Kim, saying he has "respect" for a man who has overseen the murder of a family member and claims he did not know about the murder and torture of which the president says he believes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a press conference today that she does not understand the president's support of a "thug." Below of the transcript of a press gathering with the two leaders this morning in Vietnam.

February 28, 2019
 

8:55 A.M. ICT (Indochina Time)

     CHAIRMAN KIM:  (As interpreted.)  And I believe that, starting from yesterday, the whole world is looking at this spot right now.  Because there are people who are welcoming this meeting.  There are people who have remained skeptical about this meeting.  But I'm sure that all of them would be watching the moment that we're sitting together, side by side, as if they're watching a fantasy movie.

     So we have made a lot of efforts so far, and we thought that now it's time for us to come to Hanoi, sit together, and then have this wonderful dialogue.

     And let me assure you that I will do all my best to bring a good result, ultimately, today.  Thank you.

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, thank you very much, Chairman Kim.  And it's great to be with you again, and I'm sure, over the years, we'll be together a lot.  And I think we'll also be together after the fact -- meaning after the deal is made.

We had very good discussions last night at dinner, and the pre-dinner was very good.  And we have a lot of great ideas being thrown about.  I think, very importantly, the relationship is, you know, just very strong.  And when you have a good relationship, a lot of good things happen.

     So I can't speak necessarily for today, but I can say that this -- a little bit longer term and over a period of time, I know we're going to have a fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea.  They're going to have an economic powerhouse.  I've been writing about it; I've been talking about it.  I think it's going to be an economic powerhouse, and it's something I very much look forward to helping with, because with a little bit of help -- in the right location, in the right place --  I think it's going to be something very special.

     Please.

I have to say, very much from the beginning, that speed is not that important to me.  I very much appreciate no testing of nuclear rockets, missiles -- any of it.  Very much appreciate it.

And Chairman Kim and I had a great talk about that last night.  I'd let him say what he said if he'd like to, and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t have to.  But we had a very good talk about that last night.

And, again, I am in no rush.  We don’t want the testing, and we've developed something very special with respect to that.

But I just want to say I have great respect for Chairman Kim, and I have great respect for his country.  And I believe that it will be something, economically, that will be almost hard to compete with for many countries, it has such potential.

Okay?

Would you like to say something?  I’m finished, yeah.

     CHAIRMAN KIM:  (Speaks Korean.)  (No translation provided.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Good?

Thank you all very much.  We're going to start a discussion now with our teams, and thank you all very much.  Appreciate it.

Q    Mr. Kim, are you hopeful?

Q    Do you have a peace deal now?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We're going to see.  We're going to see.  No rush.

Q    (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No rush.  No rush.  There's no rush.  We just want to do the right deal.  Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal.  Speed is not important.  What's important is that we do the right deal.

Thank you all very much.

Q    Chairman Kim, are you confident?

CHAIRMAN KIM:  (As interpreted.)  Well, it's too early to tell.  But I wouldn't say that I'm pessimistic.  From what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out.