US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said that he was joking when he said he wanted the US people to treat him like North Koreans treat Kim Jong-un.

The two world leaders this week held an historic summit in Singapore and Trump was asked on US TV today if Kim might make an appearance at the White House.

“He is the head of a country – and I mean he is the strong head,” Trump said of Kim during a surprise appearance on Fox News.

“Don’t let anyone think anything different. He speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.”

Trump then said of Kim’s removal of three top generals was him “firing them – at least. Fired may be a nice word.”

Trump later told reporters at the White House that he was being sarcastic.

“I’m kidding. You don’t understand sarcasm,” he said.

Almost solved

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said president Barack Obama told him before he took office that the “most dangerous problem” for the United States was North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

“I have solved that problem,” Trump said. “Now we’re getting it memorialised and all but that problem is largely solved.”

“We signed a very good document,” he said.

“But more importantly than the document I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un.

“That’s a very important thing. I can now call him,” he said. “I gave him a very direct number. He can now call me if he has any difficulty. We have communication.

“People are shocked,” the President continued. “They thought Trump was going to get in, he’s going to start throwing bombs all over the place.

“It’s actually the opposite.”

With AFP