Trump Says Kim Jong Un Responded to Talks Overture After Drill Cutback

In mid-August 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had responded to his overtures for talks. This came after Trump ordered a reduction in the scale of joint U.S.-South Korea military drills, a move that raised concerns among allies about the strength of the alliance.

Some U.S. lawmakers, including a key senator, accused Trump of appeasement, arguing that he had given North Korea concessions without securing concrete commitments in return. The exact content of Kim's response has not been disclosed.