Former US President Donald Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a "f**king lunatic", Newsweek has reported, citing an excerpt from the upcoming book "Peril" penned by two journalists, Robert Costa and Bob Woodward, both from The Washington Post.
According to the outlet, the incident occurred when Trump was speaking to Joseph Keith Kellogg, who served as national security adviser to ex-Vice President Mike Pence. Costa and Woodward write that Trump felt "comfortable" around Kellogg and wasn't afraid to use strong language.
In fact, the businessman-turned-politician was so comfortable with Kellogg that at one meeting he decided to tell the retired lieutenant general about his progress on the denuclearisation of North Korea.
According to the outlet, the incident occurred when Trump was speaking to Joseph Keith Kellogg, who served as national security adviser to ex-Vice President Mike Pence. Costa and Woodward write that Trump felt "comfortable" around Kellogg and wasn't afraid to use strong language.
In fact, the businessman-turned-politician was so comfortable with Kellogg that at one meeting he decided to tell the retired lieutenant general about his progress on the denuclearisation of North Korea.
"I'm dealing with a f**king lunatic", the ex-POTUS said.
Woodward and Costa do not give the exact timing of the purported incident. Trump's and Kellogg's representatives have not yet commented on the issue.
It seems the relationship between North Korea and the United States mirrored that of the two nations' leaders. In 2017, they traded threats and insults, with Donald Trump calling Kim Jong-un "rocket man", while the latter described his counterpart as a "mentally deranged US dotard". But a year later, the two held three meetings and Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea. Mainstream media jokingly described their relationship as a "bromance".
However, a thaw in relations didn't result in an agreement on denuclearisation and by the end of Trump's tenure relations between the two countries had once again soured. The alleged "bromance" appears to still be intact though, as even after leaving office Trump has said that he likes Kim Jong-un.
It seems the relationship between North Korea and the United States mirrored that of the two nations' leaders. In 2017, they traded threats and insults, with Donald Trump calling Kim Jong-un "rocket man", while the latter described his counterpart as a "mentally deranged US dotard". But a year later, the two held three meetings and Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea. Mainstream media jokingly described their relationship as a "bromance".
However, a thaw in relations didn't result in an agreement on denuclearisation and by the end of Trump's tenure relations between the two countries had once again soured. The alleged "bromance" appears to still be intact though, as even after leaving office Trump has said that he likes Kim Jong-un.