Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was “not a happy person” with the Biden administration and explained why he decided to include letters from world leaders he called “evil” people.
“We have received many great letters from many great people and not so great people, to be honest. Some good and some bad and some in between. But they’re very famous people,” Trump said of the collection of letters he’s including in his new book.
He called Kim, who he previously described as “love letters” with him in office, “smart,” he told DialyMail.com and a handful of reporters.
“He was very smart, very smart, very shrewd. And we, we talked a lot, actually we talked a lot, and I think we had a really great relationship.’
It came during an interview in which the former president wished rival Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell well after his ouster at the former Trump hotel.
“I disagree with almost everything he does, but I definitely want him to get well,” said Trump, former President Donald Trump, of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is staying at the former Trump hotel suffered a fall
“But I thought Kim Jong-un is a very, very interesting guy and we had a good relationship. And I think he’s not a happy person right now in relation to the Biden administration,” Trump said.
Trump’s book also includes a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently waging a brutal war on Ukraine, with Russia firing dozens of rockets at its neighbor overnight.
As in office, Trump spoke of the benefits of “getting along” with rivals — again claiming that Putin did not invade under his watch. (Putin invaded Crimea in 2014 and continues to hold the territory).
“Getting along with these leaders when they have great, powerful weapons and, as you know, they have war-like countries. You see this is happening right now. The togetherness is good. I tell you Russia: zero chance that Russia would have come to Ukraine. Zero, it would never have happened,” Trump said, without commenting on the recent anniversary of the war Putin unleashed.
“And there’s no chance China would have done what it’s doing, and we’ll have to see what happens with Taiwan.” Zero, zero, zero chance. It just wouldn’t have happened.
Trump called North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un ‘cunning’
His book includes a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met in Helsinki during his presidency, and accepted his denial of election hacking
Trump cited concerns that China could try to invade Taiwan. “We have to see what happens to Taiwan,” he said
Trump called some of the leaders “evil.” He famously exchanged so-called “love letters” with Kim
Trump dodged a question about whether the book contains letters that are among the materials kept in Mar-a-Lago ahead of an FBI search last summer.
“We have some great letters, some wonderful letters, and some we pass on and some we don’t. I released — I had the power to declassify, to do what I wanted to do in that regard as President,” Trump said. “But we have some great letters, but a lot of those letters were released anyway.”
He said he has been in touch with “many” world leaders but declined to say which ones.
“I have a really good connection with some of them. I’ve had some very good relationships, some really good relationships, and you know – you don’t just walk away and never speak to anyone again. And I would probably leave it up to them to mention who it would be … but a lot of them,” he said.
He mentioned that he was awarded by the Hungarian Viktor Orban. He supported the right-wing regime of the Hungarian prime minister last year.
Trump’s book includes letters from figures such as Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and Queen Elizabeth II.
The former president will include letters he has received from presidents, royals including the late Princess Diana, world leaders, celebrities and business people in his new book, titled Letters to Trump (pictured).
It does not include Fox News executive Rupert Murdoch quoted in a. Deposit and internal communications uncovered in Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit calling Trump “increasingly insane” and disbelieving his allegations of voter fraud. Opinion moderator Tucker Carlson can be seen in documents linked to a court filing calling Trump’s post-election behavior “disgusting.”
Trump said Fox News spokespeople are “really good.”
“I think they really like me and I liked them and I think they agree… People should have the right to speak their mind, especially if they’re moderators. And a lot of people, if you look at the polls, think this election was rigged and stolen, and I happen to be one of them.’
Trump continued, “I’m a denier. I’m a refuser who accepts the label.
Trump predicted his book would do “very well” but then admitted it might not surpass his first picture book, Journey Together.
“And that’s maybe a step up or maybe a step down. I guess we’ll see,’ he said.
Trump also offered well wishes on the call for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who fell and hit his head on Wednesday night at the Waldorf Astoria — the renamed former Trump hotel in Washington DC
Trump commented on McConnell, with whom he has repeatedly clashed since Jan. 6 and did not speak in hearings, shortly after it was revealed the powerful Republican leader had suffered a concussion from his fall.
Trump was initially reluctant when asked about the man-turned-top political nemesis. “No, I do not know. I’ve heard about it from several people, but I don’t know. I don’t know at all how serious it is,” he said when calling with a handful of reporters to discuss his new book. Letters to Trump.
When asked for an explanation, he replied: “Well, I don’t agree with almost everything he does, but I definitely want him to get well. I want him to be okay. I want him to be okay. And then come back and be strong.’
Trump continued, “It sounds like he took quite a tumble. And it sounds like he fell quite a bit. And I hope he’s fine. I hope he gets better soon. I wish him all the best. It sounds like it took quite a fall. It will be fun. It will be, I hope, it will get better quickly.’
McConnell denounced Trump as responsible for the post-January 6 Capitol riots. Trump has in the past attacked McConnell online as “Cocaine Mitch” and referred to his wife, former Trump cabinet member Elaine Chao, as “Coco Chow.”
In a fiery speech last week, Trump slammed McConnell as a “China-loving politician,” while saying in remarks about conservative activists, “I am your retaliation.”
“Leader McConnell tripped over dinner on Wednesday night and was hospitalized and being treated for a concussion,” his communications director David Popp said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
Republican Senate Chairman Mitch McConnell (pictured Tuesday) tripped and fell at a hotel on Wednesday and was hospitalized; He has a concussion and will be hospitalized for a few days.
McConnell attended a fundraiser for his leadership PAC at the Waldorf, formerly the Trump Hotel
The Waldorf Astoria, housed in the same historic federal building that was converted into a hotel by the Trump Organization, was a hotbed of GOP activity during the Trump administration
“He is expected to remain hospitalized for a few days for observation and treatment. The director thanks the medics for their care and his colleagues for their warm wishes.’
McConnell, 81, was hosting a dinner for his Senate Leadership Fund at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in downtown Washington, DC when he had the accident. The hotel has hosted a variety of top Republican events while bearing the Trump name while Trump was there at the White House. The Trump Organization sold the lease on the property amid the pandemic after Trump left the White House and made a hefty profit. Trump’s book includes letters from figures ranging from Barack Obama to Queen Elizabeth II and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11841867/Trump-tells-leaders-penned-private-letters-new-book-bad.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Trump tells why some of the leaders who wrote private letters in his new book are ‘bad’
