Trump has called them “love letters,” and Woodward writes that they represent a “diplomatic court” that called Trump Kim a “little rocket man” and threatened to fire and fury the first meeting to become American president. North Korean leader. Woodward writes that unusual characters are “filled with declarations of personal conflict that are uttered by knights of the round table or perhaps suitors.”
In letters to Trump, Kim referred to them as “your superiority” and paused them with floral prose.
Kim wrote to Trump on December 25, “Even now I can’t forget the moment in history when I held your gentleman’s hand firmly in a beautiful and holy place, as the whole world watches with great interest and hopes to reclaim the honor of that day.” Kim wrote to Trump on December 25, 2018, after his first meeting in Singapore.
“The second meeting between me and your Maharashtrian,” Kim added, reminiscent of a fantasy film scene. “
Trump’s answers are more straightforward but still full of compliments.
Trump wrote a letter to Kim back on December 28, “Like you, I have no doubt that there will be a big result between our two countries and the only two leaders who can do that are you and me.”
‘Moment of pride’
After the second meeting of leaders, Kim wrote in June 2019 that “every minute we shared 103 days ago in Hanoi was also a moment of pride that remains a precious memory.”
Kim added, “I also believe that the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical power.”
In a June 2019 letter from Trump to Kim, just before the proposal was made on Twitter, meeting leaders at the DMZ, Trump wrote that “you and I have a unique style and special friendship.”
“Only you and I, by working together, can resolve the issues between our two counties and end nearly 70 years of animosity, bringing an era of prosperity to the Korean Peninsula that will exceed all our great expectations – and you will lead one. ., “Trump wrote. “It will be historic!”
‘I’m really upset’
After the DMZ meeting, Trump wrote to Kim on June 30, “It was really amazing to be with you today,” attaching a copy of the front page of the New York Times from that day. Two days later, Trump rewrote, sending 22 photographs of his meeting.
“These images are very big memories for me and capture the unique friendship you and I have developed,” Trump wrote.
Kim replied a month later, but this time with a new tone Woodward describes her as a “disappointed friend or lover.” Kim was annoyed that the US-South Korean military exercise did not stop completely.
“I am clearly offended and I do not want to hide this feeling from you. I am really, very offended,” Kim wrote. “Maharashtra, I am very proud and honored that we have a relationship where I can send and receive such candid ideas with you.”
‘He was ready to go’
According to Watward, Mattis once said to Trump, “I went on to enjoy public humiliation until the second standard.”
In an interview with Woodward, Trump argued that his decision to meet with Kim had averted a war.
“He was fully prepared to go,” Trump told Woodward on December 13, 2019. And he expected to go. But we met. ”
Then in a December 30 interview, Trump told Woodward: “If I weren’t president, we would have – maybe his time is up now, and maybe it wouldn’t have happened – we’d be in a big war.”
Trump argued that by meeting with Kim, he had “left nothing”, although North Korea has not given up on the U.S. Has not complied with the nuclear measures demanded. Trump’s critics say the meetings provided Kim with legitimacy on the world stage, demanding that he not undermine Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
‘Let’s go to the movies together’
Woodward’s book contains a remarkable color of Trump’s meetings with Kim. At the second summit in February 2019, Trump said he knew Kim was not ready to make a deal, and the two leaders argued over which nuclear sites Pyongyang would dismantle.
According to Woodward, Trump says, “I know every site. I know them all, I know them from any of my people. You understand that.” But when Kim didn’t budge, Trump tried a different approach.
“Do you ever do anything other than send a rocket over the air?” Trump asked Kim. “Let’s go to the movies together. Let’s play golf.”
After Woodward received Kim’s letters, Trump warned him in a January 2020 phone call: “You can’t make fun of Kim. I don’t want to get involved in f — ing nuclear war because you made fun of him.”
The CIA never determined who wrote and composed Kim’s letters to Trump, but Woodward writes that the agency considers him a “masterpiece.”
“Analysts were amazed at Trump’s sense of grandeur and the skill someone brought in to find the exact combination of compliments while appealing to be at the center of history.”
Elizabeth Stewart of CNN contributed to this report.
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