AJP Fact Check: Trump's claims about two Koreas

by Lee Jung-woo Posted : August 19, 2026, 11:38Updated : August 19, 2026, 11:39
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas Nevada on Aug 5 2026 Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts at an event in Las Vegas, Nevada on Aug. 5, 2026, in this photo taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok.
SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea last Sunday, signaling the possibility of another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The order came shortly before the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was pushing for another meeting with Kim, a move that could revive the personal diplomacy that defined his first term. Many observers see the push as driven by the upcoming U.S. midterm elections amid his sliding approval ratings.

Against that backdrop, AJP fact-checked Trump's recent claims about Kim, North Korea's nuclear program and related issues on the Korean Peninsula.
Graphics by AJP Song Ji-yoon
Graphics by AJP Song Ji-yoon