Trump says North Korea's Kim responded to his overtures

"He has," he answered, ‌without providing ‌any ⁠further details.

Their relationship was a dominant theme ​during Trump's first term, including a series of letters between them, but has received less emphasis in his second term.

The pair held summits in 2018 and 2019 before negotiations ⁠broke down over Pyongyang's ‌nuclear ​weapons arsenal.

North Korea is under heavy international sanctions over ​those weapons, ‌as well as its ballistic missiles.

"Kim Jong-un has always ​treated me with great respect and we met on numerous occasions, actually, two primary occasions, spoken and ​spent ​time. I understand ​him. He understands me," Trump said.

The president on Sunday instructed the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with long-term Asian ally South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul's refusal to take part ​in actions against Iran.