US will halt joint military exercises with S. Korea, Trump says: Live updates
The landmark summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wrapped after nearly five hours of various meetings.
The details of the meetings, which were largely closed to the media, included discussions about Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program, security assurances for the North Korean leader, and "new U.S.–DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world."
The tete-a-tete followed months of speculation and high-stakes, behind-the-scenes meetings.
Meanwhile, the world watched and waited. Check here for live updates.
8:50 a.m. EDT / 8:50 p.m. Singapore: What's missing from the Trump-Kim agreement
The White House officially released a joint statement from Trump and Chairman Kim that details the commitments the two leaders made to each other during the summit in hopes of developing lasting relations between the two countries that have had a long history of hostility.
ABC News' Alexander Mallin notes some of the key points not included in the landmark Trump-Kim agreement. Missing elements include: The words "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization," any mention of U.S. sanctions or Japanese abductees, and any reference to North Korea's alleged human rights crimes, including its actions against American Otto Warmbier.
Trump had the opportunity to address where things stand on these missing points during his press conference earlier today.
Specifically on Otto Warmbier, the president said he did not die in vain and expressed a belief that today would never have happened had it not been for Otto.
"I think without Otto, this would not have happened," he said. "Something happened from that day, it was a terrible thing. It was brutal. But a lot of people started to focus."
Trump also clarified that as the North Korean regime works to fulfill the promise of denuclearization, "in the meantime, the sanctions will remain in effect."
8:30 a.m. EDT / 8:30 p.m. Singapore: The view from South Korea
As Trump heads to Guam before returning home to the White House, his comments on halting U.S.-South Korea military exercises left South Korea unsettled about his intentions.
A senior South Korean defense ministry official said that South Korea is trying to determine exactly what President Trump meant when he said that war games would end.
ABC News' Joohee Cho reports that the mood within the South Korean government is that Trump's comments on "stopping war games" have caught them by complete surprise.
Trump also mentioned that he wants to "bring our soldiers back home" - although not right away - which is a sensitive issue among South Koreans.
For decades, some in South Korea have insisted that U.S. troops be withdrawn to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula.
But the presence of U.S. troops is a pillar of security to a vast majority of South Koreans.
If Moon were to agree to any sign pointing toward a U.S. troop withdrawal, it could cost him a huge loss in votes.
North Korea meanwhile may have gotten two of of most important things on a decades-long wish list: Regime security and putting an end to U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises.
7:41 a.m. EDT / 7:41 p.m. Singapore: Moon: Trump-Kim agreement will help "break down the last remaining Cold War legacy on earth"
ABC News' Ben Gittleson reports that South Korean President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday’s agreement between President Trump and Kim Jong Un "a great victory achieved by both the United States and the two Koreas, and a huge step forward for people across the world who long for peace."
In a statement, he said the agreement "will be recorded as a historic event that has helped break down the last remaining Cold War legacy on earth."
"Once again, I would like to pay my respect to President Trump who achieved a feat that no one else has ever delivered," Moon added.
He also committed to fully working to implement the agreement "in its entirety."
"My administration will spare no effort in cooperating with the United States, North Korea and the international community to ensure that the agreement can be implemented in its entirety,” Moon said.
Notably, however, there was no mention of Trump’s declaration in his exclusive interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos after the historic meetings and Trump’s news conference Tuesday that there would be a cessation of the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises (which was not included in the signed agreement).
7:20 a.m. EDT / 7:20 p.m. Singapore: Trump suggests he will halt joint military exercises with South Korea
In the interview with Stephanopoulos, Trump suggested that he will stop the joint military exercises, or so-called war games.
"We stopped playing those war games that cost us a fortune," he said. "We’re spending a fortune, every couple of months we’re doing war games with South Korea, and I said, ‘What’s this costing?’ We’re flying planes in from Guam, we’re bombing empty mountains for practice. I said ‘I want to stop that and I will stop that, and I think it’s very provocative."
Trump emphasized that he's ready to end the "war games" because he said he thought "they were very provocative" and "very expensive."
"We’re running the country properly," he added.
He then followed with a more tepid warning, "We’re going to stop the war games, unless for some reason, we’re unable to go further."
5:45 a.m. EDT / 5:45 p.m. Singapore: A look back at the big moments
The summit itself may have come to a close but the images of the landmark meeting of the minds will undoubtedly make their way into the history books.
Here's a roundup of some of the most iconic moments from the summit.
Trump goes face to face with Kim in historic summit with North Korea
President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un come together in the first ever face-to-face meeting between a sitting American president and a North Korean leader.
5:03 a.m. EDT / 5:03 p.m. Singapore: Trump talks human rights concerns
During his news conference after the summit, Trump was asked by ABC News chief White House correspondent Jon Karl whether he still believes what he said during the State of the Union address, when Trump said North Korea has more brutally oppressed its people than any other regime on earth.
"Do you still believe that is the case, having sat down with Kim Jong Un, and does he need to change that?" Karl asked.
"Jon, I believe it's a rough situation over there, there's no question about it and we did discussed it today pretty strongly. I mean knowing what the main purpose of what we were doing is -- de-nuking -- but discussed it in pretty good length. We'll be doing something on it. It’s rough, it's rough in a lot of places, by the way, not just there but it's rough and we will continue that and I think ultimately we will agree to something but it was discussed at length. Outside of the nuclear situation, one of the primary topics," Trump said.
4:29 a.m. EDT / 4:29 p.m. Singapore: ABC News’ exclusive interview with Trump
ABC chief anchor George Stephanopoulos pressed the president on his previous criticism of North Korea's human rights abuses including starving his people, running labor camps and assassinating members of his own family.
"George, I'm given what I'm given," Trump said of his trust in Kim Jong Un. "This is what we have, this is where we are."
"Over my lifetime I've done a lot of deals with a lot of people and sometimes the people you most distrust turn out to be the most honorable ones and the people that you do trust turn out to be not the honorable ones," Trump said.
"I believe he wants to get it done ... I do trust him," Trump said.
Read the full article on the interview here.
4:07 a.m. EDT / 4:07 p.m. Singapore: Trump's highlight reel
Trump's first tweet since the start of the summit featured a compilation video showing highlights of the summit.
Trump posted the video without comment, but he's also slated to speak shortly in a news conference.
4:04 a.m. EDT / 4:04 p.m. Singapore: Trump's exclusive interview with ABC News
ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos announced that he sat down with Trump after the summit, sharing a picture on Twitter.
2:56 a.m. EDT / 2:56 p.m. Singapore: Sneaking a peek at the document
Even though Trump and Kim have yet to disclose what exactly was in the document that they signed or how they reached any agreements, Trump did hold the document up after signing it and a careful examination of the photo allows eagle-eyed viewers to read the full text.
ABC News' Ben Gittleson reports that the document details the discussions that took place in Singapore today.
"Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the document states, according to the photo.
"Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the document, which they both signed, reads.
The leaders also committed "to establish new U.S.-DPRK relations" and agreed to "join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."
Both countries also agreed “to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified,” per the document.
"The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations, led by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.-DPRK summit," the document reads.
Just before the signatures, the document concludes by saying that Trump and Kim "have committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.-DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world."
2:48 a.m. EDT / 2:48 p.m. Singapore: Behind the scenes shots of the departure
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders shared pictures of the final moments that Trump and Kim spent together, showing the two leaders walking down the stairs together.
2:25 a.m. EDT / 2:25 p.m. Singapore: What to look for in the communique
Tom Bossert, an ABC News contributor and former Homeland Security adviser for the Trump administration, laid out some of the biggest goals of the communique that the president and Kim were expected to sign at the end of today's summit.
They were shown signing a document, but neither immediately revealed the details of what the document contained.
Bossert said on ABC News' live stream that there are some key words that he hopes are included in the communique.
"There's a lot of things to look for but I think the first is whether the word 'denuclearize' is in that document. I think that'll be the first key. And from there, the questions about how they may or may not define that term and whether they include other regional partner concerns. Those are my three big questions as I look at that communique today," Bossert said.
"I don't think it will be a massive failure if we don't see that word, but that will indicate that the president got what he came for," he said.
Bossert said another factor that he will be looking for is "whether biological and chemical weapons end up in that communique in any regard, that's something the United States went in hoping to get."
Watch Bossert's full interview here.
2:03 a.m. EDT / 2:03 p.m. Singapore: Trump's take on Kim
In their final moments standing side by side, Trump gave some final comments about his new acquaintance.
"I learned he was a talented man. I also learned he loves his country very much," Trump said in English as Kim stood beside him.
Trump called the North Korean dictator "a very worthy, smart negotiator, absolutely. We learned a lot about each other and our countries."
When asked whether the pair planned to meet again, Trump said, "we'll meet again. We'll meet many times."
1:47 a.m. EDT / 1:47 p.m. Singapore: A joint signing of an undisclosed "important" document
President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reappeared together to sign what Trump called "a very important document" though did not disclose what it was exactly.
He called it "a pretty comprehensive document.”
"We're both very honored to sign the document," Trump said of the two leaders' efforts.
Kim then spoke through a translator, saying, "Today we had a historic meeting and decided to leave the past behind."
"The world will see a major change," Kim said, without sharing specifics of any agreements.
Trump also suggested that the changes will not be limited to the U.S.-North Korea relationship.
"I think our whole relationship with North Korea and the Korean Peninsula... it's going to be a very different relationship than it has in the past," Trump said.
He went on to say that he and Kim have "developed a very special bond" and that they spent "a lot of time together today, very intensive time."
"We're going to take care of a very big and very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said.
When asked by a member of the gathered press whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said, "absolutely, I will."
1:10 a.m. EDT / 1:10 p.m. Singapore: A moment "most Koreans would never have imagined"
While the political fallout of the Trump-Kim meeting will unfold in the coming days and weeks, the moment when the leaders shook hands had an immediate impact on many.
Nightline co-anchor Juju Chang spoke during ABC News' live coverage of the summit, detailing her own family history and giving some perspective on the historic nature of today's events.
"There isn't a Korean on the planet who has not been touched by the Korean War and it has really marked personal family histories," Chang said.
"In my own family, my grandfather was kidnapped by North Koreans, never to be seen again. My parents were war refugees. But my family story is not unusual. Every Korean family I know has suffered some huge loss or upheaval because of the Korean War so these historic images are images that most Koreans would never have imagined would have transpired so quickly," she said.
Watch the clip here.
12:43 a.m. EDT / 12:43 p.m. Singapore: Trump touts "top-of-the-line" meeting
The two leaders emerged from their working lunch and walked to a different part of the resort, with Trump speaking briefly to gathered reporters.
"It's going great, we had a really fantastic meeting, lot of progress, really very positive. I think better than anybody could have expected, top of the line, really good," Trump said of their meetings.
He went on to say "we are going right now for a signing," though did not disclose what kind of document he was referencing.
They were walking by themselves, at first, before being joined by translators and aides after speaking to the reporters.
12:29 a.m. EDT / 12:29 p.m. Singapore: The one woman at the table
The pictures of the bilateral meeting between Trump and Kim showed that of the 10 people at the conference table, only one was a woman.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan reports that woman, who was seated directly next to Trump, is Yun-hyang Lee, division chief of Interpreting Services at the State Department.
Other women were reportedly in attendance at the later working luncheon, including White House press secretary Sarah Sanders from the U.S. side, and Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong, and diplomat Choe Son Hui, who led previous negotiations, for the North Koreans.
Sanders shared some behind-the-scenes footage earlier in the morning of advisers waiting for the one-on-one meeting to wrap up, and while Sanders isn't pictured, two other women who are believed to be members of the North Korean delegation are shown.
12:05 a.m. EDT / 12:05 p.m. Singapore: A welcome sign to South Korea
One witness who is undoubtedly focused on the outcome of today's meeting is South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
ABC News' Ben Gittleson notes that Moon's office released photos of the South Korean leader’s grinning while watching the Trump-Kim handshake on television this morning.
According to Moon's office, the president watched the handshake live before starting a Cabinet meeting.
"Today, let's skip chatting over tea and head in to watch," he said, according to a tweet from his office.
11:48 p.m. EDT / 11:48 a.m. Singapore: Kim's message to Trump, and the world
A clear translation of what Kim said at the opening of the expanded bilateral talks shows that the North Korean leader is ready to concede that there have been "mistakes" in his country's past relationship with the U.S., though he didn't say who made those mistakes.
"The fact that we have resolutely overcome our mistakes that have gripped us by our ankles, and conquered the outside factors and expectations to gather in this place is, I believe, a prelude to peace," Kim said, according to a translation of his remarks.
"I told you this a little before, and of course there may be difficulties, but I am resolved to take advantage of the wonderful start that was today to start a massive undertaking that others have not done before," Kim said, likely referencing his earlier one-on-one meeting with Trump.
The gathered media were only in the room for a few moments before leaving, so no further details about what the leaders said have yet to be released.
11:33 p.m. EDT / 11:33 a.m. Singapore: How it's playing at home
U.S. lawmakers and political commentators have started to react to the handshake seen around the world.
ABC News' Alex Mallin notes how some key Republican politicians have shared optimistic views about the push for peace, including Rep. Peter King of New York who called it a "truly historic moment" on Twitter.
"Truly historic moment. @POTUS Trump meets with Kim Jong Un. Time for Americans to stand with POTUS. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It’s an AMERICAN issue. Give petty partisanship a rest at least for awhile," he wrote.
Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia wished Trump well in the now-ongoing negotiations.
"Today could mark a crucial moment in the global push to resolve the standoff with North Korea over its nuclear weapons and missile programs. I wish President Trump well as discussions with North Korea's leaders begin shortly," he tweeted.
Some outspoken political commentators were not as overly supportive, pointing to the backdrop of interspersed U.S. and North Korean flags to be a point of concern.
Dana Loesch, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, wrote that she is "not a fan of our flags side by side, as any sort of equals."
And Brian Fallon, the former press secretary for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, called the handshake a "made-for-propaganda moment."
11:20 p.m. EDT / 11:20 a.m. Singapore: Parsing the menu
A morning of historic meetings may have helped Trump and Kim work up an appetite, and they're set to have lunch together shortly.
The pool reporters on scene have shared the three-course lunch menu, which includes a number of local delicacies.
Starters: Traditional prawn’s cocktail served with avocado salad, green mango kerabu with honey lime dressing and fresh octopus, “Oiseon," which is described as Korean stuffed cucumber.
Main course: Beef short rib confit served with potato dauphinois and steamed broccolini with red wine sauce on the side, combination of sweet and sour crispy pork and Yangzhou fried rice with homemade XO chili sauce, "Daegu jorim," described as soy-braised cod fish with radish, and Asian vegetables
Desserts: Dark chocolate tartlet ganache, Haagen-Dazs vanilla iced cream with cherry coulis, tropezienne, which is a French cream-filled tart
10:17 p.m. EDT / 10:17 a.m. Singapore: Another moment of bonding
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders shared a picture of Trump and Kim moments after they finished their one-on-one conversation.
All told, that first meeting between the two leaders lasted about 45 minutes. From there, they walked together to a second, larger meeting with more aides and staff included.
9:58 p.m. EDT / 9:58 a.m. Singapore: Expanding the working group
The one-on-one session appears to have wrapped up as pool cameras on site showed Trump and Kim in a larger conference room along with several top aides.
Trump was seated on one side of a table, seated with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to one side and a female interpreter to the other.
Kim was seated directly opposite Trump with aides on either side.
Trump spoke briefly about them "working together" before the leaders then shook hands once more, this time across the table.
"We will be successful and I look forward to working on it with you. It will be done," Trump said.
9:42 p.m. EDT / 9:42 a.m. Singapore: The delegations on the sidelines
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders shared several photos on Twitter showing some key members of the U.S. and North Korean delegations waiting in what appears to be a side room during Trump and Kim's brief comments to the gathered media.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and National Security Adviser John Bolton are seen watching a television that appears to show Trump and Kim as they made their statements.
9:12 p.m. EDT / 9:12 a.m. Singapore: Optimistic about a "great discussion"
Cameras followed the two leaders into the closed-door meeting, and they both made brief, optimistic remarks before shaking hands once again.
"I feel really great, we're going to have a great discussion and I think tremendous success. Tremendously successful," Trump said while sitting beside Kim Jong Un.
"It's my honor and we will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt," Trump said.
Kim Jong Un then shared some thoughts, referencing the past tensions and hinting at a more optimistic future.
"It was not an easy path here. There's a history of holding onto our ankles," which is a phrase meaning that someone is trying to hold someone else back or being dead weight," and it appeared there were times that there were unfortunate practices where they were trying to block our eyes and our ears, but we've overcome everything and come to this place," Kim said, according to a translator.
9:04 p.m. EDT / 9:04 a.m. Singapore: The historic shake
Just minutes after arriving at the hotel, Trump and Kim shook hands in front of a display of flags of both countries.
Neither man appeared to smile during the actual handshake, but as they moved off to the side after the shake they broke out grins.
They have now left into a closed-door meeting.
9:00 p.m. EDT / 9:00 a.m. Singapore: Both leaders arrive
Kim Jong Un was the first of the two leaders to arrive at the Capella, at roughly 8:55 a.m. local time, and Trump followed roughly five minutes later.
8:49 p.m. EDT / 8:49 a.m. Singapore: A guide of the key players
While Trump and Kim will be meeting first one-on-one, only accompanied by interpreters, a select set of their key aides will be involved in the later meetings.
For the Americans, that includes Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Sung Kim, the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines who has been closely involved in the negotiations with North Koreans in the lead up to this meeting.
The North Korean delegation includes Kim's sister, Kim Yong Jong, who also recently attended the Olympics as a representative for the North Korean government. Another familiar face will be Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party, who recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to hand-deliver a letter to Trump.
For a thorough list of the aides on both sides, read more from ABC News' Elizabeth McLaughlin and Meghan Keneally here.
8:41 p.m. EDT / 8:41 a.m. Singapore: Medical emergency
President Trump broke news on his way to the highly anticipated meeting with Kim Jong Un by tweeting that Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, has suffered a heart attack.
Kudlow, 70, was not on the trip to Singapore and Trump said that Kudlow had been transported to Walter Reed Medical Center in D.C.
8:17 p.m. EDT / 8:17 a.m. Singapore: Trump heads to meeting with Un
The State Department tweeted video of the presidential motorcade on its way to the historic meeting with Kim Jong Un at Sentosa Island, Singapore. Trump is scheduled to meet Kim at 9 p.m. EDT, and 9 a.m. Singapore time.
Kim Jong Un also departed his Singapore hotel, the St. Regis, on the way to the summit.
7:05 p.m. EDT /7:05 a.m. Singapore: Pompeo en route to summit
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way from the Shangri-La Hotel to the summit, according to the State Department.
The Department of State tweeted a picture of Pompeo alongside his new senior adviser, Ambassador Michael McKinley, as well as his right-hand man on North Korea, CIA Korea Mission Chief Andrew Kim.
6:13 p.m. EDT /6:13 a.m. Singapore: Ahead of Kim summit, Trump tweets against "the haters & losers"
President Trump is starting his big day in Singapore the way he so often does at home: With a tweet.
The president is taking on "the haters & losers" who have criticized today's in-person meeting with Kim Jong Un as a concession to the North Korean dictator, making the case that he's already proven that his efforts of engagement with Kim have been a success.
"We will be fine," he insists in the tweet.
5:52 p.m. EDT /5:52 a.m. Singapore: Trump tempers expectations as summit nears
Hours before his summit with Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump is managing expectations. He says that while meetings are "going well," "in the end that doesn't matter," adding we'll know soon if a "real deal" can happen.
2:12 p.m. EDT /2:12 a.m. Singapore: Dennis Rodman touches down in Singapore
Dennis Rodman, the former NBA star and unlikely friend of Kim Jong Un, arrived in Singapore hours before the high-stakes meeting between Trump and Kim.
Rodman landed at the Changi airport early Tuesday morning in Singapore, independent of the U.S. delegation, for a visit to the city during the ongoing summit.
When asked whether he will meet with his friend Kim, Rodman told reporters at the airport, "I'm going to guess he's got bigger things to worry about right now than listening to me. He's trying to make this conference."
"Every time I see him, it's always a surprise so maybe tomorrow is the same thing," he added.
Last week, deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley adamantly denied Rodman’s having any formal role in negotiations with North Korea, telling Fox News, "He is great on the court but negotiations should best be left to those who are good at it. President Donald Trump is the best. So we expect he and Kim Jong Un to have an amazing conversation without Dennis Rodman in tow."
On Thursday, Trump told reporters during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Rodman wasn't invited.
"No, he was not invited," the president said. "But he's a nice guy. I like him."
Rodman has been one of the most notable visitors in recent years to the isolated authoritarian state — a result of his personal relationship with Kim — making him one of few Americans to meet the North Korean leader.
11:15 a.m. EDT /11:15 p.m. Singapore: Kim explores the streets of Singapore
Less than 12 hours before his highly anticipated vis-à-vis with Trump, Kim Jong Un was spotted during a night out in Singapore.
The North Korean leader's motorcade was seen venturing through the city Monday night before Kim visited the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands hotel. A smiling Kim, trailed by his delegation, waved to the crowd of onlookers awaiting his arrival.
Singapore's Minister of Foreign Affairs' Vivian Balakrishnan posted a selfie on Twitter with Kim.
#Jalanjalan #guesswhwere? pic.twitter.com/oVOk8UuqlC
— Vivian Balakrishnan (@VivianBala) June 11, 2018
For Kim — taking in the sights of Singapore, with both its colonial and modern elements — the visit is the farthest the 34-year old has ever been from home as leader of North Korea. He has been to China at least twice and South Korea once.
8:17 a.m. EDT / 8:17 p.m. Singapore: Trump and Kim set to meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Singapore
The White House released more details on timing of the summit between Trump and Kim.
The two leaders are expected to participate in an "initial greeting" and one-on-one meeting Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. in Singapore or 9 p.m. EDT Monday evening, according to the statement. This first meeting will be followed by an expanded bilateral meeting and working lunch.
The U.S. delegation, according to the White House, will include: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly, and national security adviser John Bolton. The working lunch will add press secretary Sarah Sanders, Ambassador Sung Kim, and the National Security Council's senior director for Asia, Matt Pottinger.
Before returning to the United States, Trump is expected to hold a news conference, without Kim, Tuesday evening in Singapore.
7:09 a.m. EDT / 7:09 p.m. Singapore: Former White House official explains 'Trump's moment'
A former national security aide to President Trump said he thinks the president believes this is his "moment."
When asked by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos about Trump's regarding this moment as his, Tom Bossert, an ABC News contributor and former White House adviser on homeland security and counterterrorism, said, "I think [Trump] does, but I also think it's been heaped upon him so at this point he deserves credit for taking this on for the world because it's no longer a U.S. and regional issue."
"If he doesn't solve it, his fear is there's no other way out," Bossert added.
The former Trump adviser also suggested that despite the history between the two countries, the U.S. president's upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un comes at a point that "lands to [Trump's] strengths."
"In a lot of ways, it really, it fits into his thinking because he can't tiptoe into it. He can't tiptoe through it," Bossert said. "We've seen that process fail before and so it really lands to his strengths. He has to do it quickly; he has to do it in a brash fashion and he's looking for a strategic decision. So in a lot of ways it's kind of understandable he thinks he'll figure this out in the first few minutes."
5:45 a.m. EDT / 5:45 p.m. Singapore: Pompeo briefs reporters
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to reporters Monday evening in Singapore and took a few questions.
State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert shared a photo of Pompeo during the briefing with reporters, hours before the president is expected to meet face to face with Kim.
Pompeo called the summit "truly a mission of peace" and reaffirmed Trump's commitment to seeking "diplomacy with North Korea" and the elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons stockpile.
"A complete and verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is the only outcome that the United States will accept," Pompeo said. "Sanctions will remain until North Korea completely and verifiably eliminates its weapons of mass destruction programs."
The secretary struck an optimistic tone during the press conference, telling reporters, "These discussions that will take place tomorrow between Chairman Kim and President Trump will set the framework for the hard work that will follow, and we’ll see how far we get – but I am very optimistic that we will have a successful outcome from tomorrow’s meeting between these two leaders."
As the historic summit inches closer, he said the president is "going into this meeting with confidence, a positive attitude and eagerness for real progress."
5:21 a.m. EDT / 5:21 p.m. Singapore: Trump spoke to Moon
Trump is getting set to meet with Kim Jong Un Tuesday, but he found time Monday to speak with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, ABC News' Joohee Cho reports.
Moon and Trump spoke on the phone about Tuesday's summit, which will have a major effect on South Korea though it will not be in attendance. Moon is expected to brief South Korean media on the phone call this morning.
Kim twice met with Moon at the Demilitarized Zone in historic summits of their own over the previous months.
3:51 a.m. EDT / 3:51 p.m. Singapore: More pictures from inside the closed-press event
White House director of social media Dan Scavino shared pictures from the event with U.S. Embassy staff that President Donald Trump attended this afternoon.
The event was held at the Shangri-La Hotel rather than the embassy itself.
In the pictures Scavino shared, Trump is seen greeting the gathered crowd. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also pictured talking to attendees.
3:31 a.m. EDT / 3:31 p.m. Singapore: A glimpse of Kim
State news media in North Korea are starting their coverage today with pictures of the country's leader Kim Jong Un arriving in Singapore Sunday, but residents are also getting some other pictures of their leader in other ways.
An Associated Press photo shows a picture of Kim’s shaking hands with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong Monday.
The picture was displayed on a large screen outside of the main station in Pyongyang, North Korea, this afternoon.
Kim wasn't the only one to meet with the prime minister today. Trump had a ne-on-one meeting with the prime minister before expanding into a bilateral meeting and working lunch with more members of their teams.
3:00 a.m. EDT / 3:00 p.m. Singapore: An inside look
President Donald Trump had a visit with the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Singapore on his public schedule, but it was closed to the press.
The first glimpse of the event, which took place at the Shangri-La Hotel, came via Secretary of State Mike Pompeo instead, as he tweeted a picture.
"Thank you @potus for your support of @StateDept @usmc @USNavy today in #Singapore Everyone from @RedWhiteBlueDot enjoyed meeting you!" he wrote, tagging the Embassy's Twitter handle as well as the Marine Corps, Navy and State Department.
A State Department official confirmed that Pompeo introduced Trump, who then spoke briefly to the gathered crowd.
2:32 a.m. EDT / 2:35 p.m. Singapore: The latest from Pompeo
The White House shared a statement from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the eve of the historic summit with North Korea.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan reports from Singapore that Pompeo said that Trump is "well prepared," and their "position remains clear and unchanged."
"The President and the entire U.S. team are looking forward to tomorrow’s summit. We have had substantive and detailed meetings to date, including this morning with the North Koreans," Pompeo said in the statement.
He also thanked the local hosts and residents for their "gracious hospitality in helping to organize the summit."
Heather Nauert, the acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs and spokeswoman for the State Department, also tweeted out a picture of Pompeo speaking to the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Singapore.
2:14 a.m. EDT / 2:14 p.m. Singapore: New details about the big meeting
A White House official confirmed that President Donald Trump's first meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be held one-on-one.
ABC News' Jordyn Phelps reports that while we now know it will be a small meeting between the two leaders, the expected length of the meeting hasn't been released.
The official did not rule out the possibility that additional activities could be added to tomorrow 's schedule, beyond the two planned meetings with Kim, Phelps reports.
Asked about a North Korean state media report that Trump and Kim were set to talk denuclearization and peace on the Korean peninsula, the official said the report is a hopeful indication.
"I think we should take some optimism from that reporting," the official said. "Given the history of the way KCNA has reported, I think that is a sign for optimism."
Asked whether the president would consider an eventual trip to Pyongyang, another senior White House official declined to get ahead of any potential next steps but did not explicitly rule it out, Phelps reports.
1:54 a.m. EDT / 1:54 p.m. Singapore: Celebrating early
There was a celebration in Singapore today, but it had little to do with the North Korea negotiations.
Instead, it was a surprise birthday celebration for President Donald Trump, three days ahead of his actual birthday.
The foreign minister of Singapore tweeted out a picture of the cake presented to Trump at the luncheon today in Singapore, which is 12 hours ahead of Washington and Eastern Daylight Time.
"Celebrating birthday, a bit early," Vivian Balakrishnan posted, along with a picture of the cake in front of Trump.
Trump was seated between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and chief of staff John Kelly.
1:25 a.m. EDT / 1:25 p.m. Singapore: Details from Trump's first formal meeting
President Donald Trump brought a host of his top aides to the meeting with the Singapore Prime Minister today.
ABC News' Jordyn Phelps reports that the delegation at the expanded bilateral meeting included chief of staff John Kelly, National Security Advisor John Bolton, press secretary Sarah Sanders, senior policy advisor Stephen Miller and others.
1:07 a.m. EDT / 1:07 p.m. Singapore: The first handshake
In a week that will be filled with many significant moments, the handshake that President Trump shared with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong marks the first of the North Korea summit.
Pictures of the pair were shared today, as they met for an one-on-one meeting before expanding the group and meeting with a larger group over a working lunch.
Trump thanked the Prime Minister, saying "it's a real honor to be with you."
"This was a choice that we made very consciously," Trump said of the meeting, going on to call the prime minister "my friend."
Trump then went on to tease his upcoming meeting with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, which is scheduled to be held in Singapore on Tuesday.
"We’ve got a very interesting meeting in particular tomorrow. I think things could work out very nicely. We appreciate your hospitality and professionalism and friendship," he said.
12:53 a.m. EDT / 12:53 p.m. Singapore: Detailing the deal making
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted out another picture from a meeting in Singapore today, calling the discussion "substantive and detailed."
12:30 a.m. EDT / 12:30 p.m. Singapore: The world watches
North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun released it's Monday cover ahead of time online, showing multiple pictures of leader Kim Jong Un arriving on Sunday.
The photos show Kim walking down a red carpet after descending from the Air China flight that brought him to the historic summit.
The text of the front page report details how "wide and profound opinions will be exchanged focusing on establishing a new DPRK-US relationship to meet the changing demands of the era."
11:54 p.m. EDT / 11:54 a.m. Singapore: Ready for the meeting
President Donald Trump arrived at the site of his first meeting with the Prime Minister of Singapore.
According to the traveling pool of reporters following the president, the presidential motorcade arrived at the Istana, a sprawling Palladian mansion located on the grounds of a former nutmeg plantation.
The pool reporter said that there was a small crowd of bystanders outside the palace gates, but other than that, the motorcade only passed a few bystanders on the extremely clean pavements while it made its way to the palace.
11:55 p.m. EDT / 11:55 a.m. Singapore: Trump makes moves
Trump is headed to his first formal meeting in Singapore, according to a report from the traveling media pool.
Trump left the Shangri-la Hotel at 11:45 a.m. local time, though he was not spotted entering the vehicle.
Some members of his team that were spotted by the pool reporter include White House press secretary Sarah Sanders and senior policy advisor Stephen Miller, among others.
They were headed for a scheduled one-on-one meeting that Trump will have with the Prime Minister of Singapore.
The president and his team, as well as the throngs of reporters and other political players in Singapore for the summit, are operating in 88 degrees Fahrenheit with 71 percent humidity, meaning that the so-called real-feel temperature is closer to 100 degrees.
11:30 p.m. EDT / 11:30 a.m. Singapore: Talking about outcomes before the start
The meeting with Kim Jong Un will be a landmark one, and has predictably prompted much talk about the potential verdicts.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" Sunday morning that there are ultimately three possible outcomes to President Trump's negotiations with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
"Peace, where we have a win-win solution; military force where they -- we devastate the North Korean regime and stop their program by force; or to capitulate like we've done in the past," Graham said.
ABC News' Molly Nagle writes about Sen. Graham's other comments on "This Week" here.
10:51 p.m. EDT / 10:51 a.m. Singapore: Trump back to talking about trade
With the exception of one tweet where he described the "excitement in the air" in Singapore ahead of the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump has continued to talk about trade issues.
The debate over the fate of tariffs stemmed from meetings in Canada during the G-7 summit.
In his most recent tweet, Trump wrote: "Sorry, we cannot let our friends, or enemies, take advantage of us on Trade anymore. We must put the American worker first!"
10:48 p.m. EDT / 10:48 a.m. Singapore: More pictures from the State Department
Two other photos from inside a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been released by the State Department.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan notes that Pompeo is pictured meeting with Heather Nauert, the acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs and spokeswoman for the State Department.
They're seated alongside Ambassador Sung Kim, the South Korean-born American diplomat who is the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.
Secretary Pompeo also tweeted out another photo from his account, this time showing Ambassador Kim entering a meeting today, trailed by Randall Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.
10:30 p.m. EDT / 10:30 a.m. Singapore: The day ahead
President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday evening local time, which is 12 hours ahead of Washington.
Now, on Monday in Singapore, he's slated to have his first meetings as part of the summit.
According to the publicly released schedule from the White House, a meeting with the Prime Minister of Singapore will be the highest-profile item on the docket.
He's going to head to the Instana Palace and have a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. After that, the group will expand to a bilateral meeting with a working lunch.
After that, he's going to have a meet and greet at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore.
Stay tuned for information as the day unfolds.
10:06 p.m. EDT / 10:06 a.m. Singapore: Sectary Pompeo is prepping
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted a tweet giving an inside glimpse into his preparations for the high-stakes summit with North Korean leaders in the coming days.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan noted how the photo shows Pompeo meeting Monday morning with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, the former special representative for North Korea Policy and lead negotiator to the six-party talks. Ambassador Kim has led the U.S. team at the demilitarized zone working on a joint communique with North Korea.
"Early pre-brief with my @StateDept team. Amb Kim meets with #DPRK today. We remain committed to the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Pompeo tweeted early Monday in Singapore.
Pompeo has a “working group” meeting this morning with North Koreans at the Ritz Carlton, Finnegan notes.
9:51 p.m. EDT / 9:51 a.m. Singapore: Trump tweets about Singapore, eventually
More than 15 minutes after posting a series of tweets about the tariff battles that brewed at the G-7 summit in Canada, President Donald Trump tweeted about that again.
In what appeared to be the third post connected to his earlier tweets, he wrote: "....Germany pays 1% (slowly) of GDP towards NATO, while we pay 4% of a MUCH larger GDP. Does anybody believe that makes sense? We protect Europe (which is good) at great financial loss, and then get unfairly clobbered on Trade. Change is coming!"
Two minutes after posting that, the president appeared to turn his attention to the summit that he's currently attending: one where he will have a landmark meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"Great to be in Singapore, excitement in the air!" he wrote.
9:31 p.m. EDT / 9:31 a.m. Singapore: Trump tweets
President Donald Trump is now in Singapore but he's still throwing punches over the G-7 Summit that he left in Canada.
ABC News' Jordyn Phelps, who is currently in Singapore, notes how Trump's latest tweet focuses on the ongoing tensions with Canada and their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal. According to a Canada release, they make almost 100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S. (guess they were bragging and got caught!). Minimum is 17B. Tax Dairy from us at 270%. Then Justin acts hurt when called out!" Trump tweeted.
He followed that with two more tweets on the topic: "Why should I, as President of the United States, allow countries to continue to make Massive Trade Surpluses, as they have for decades, while our Farmers, Workers & Taxpayers have such a big and unfair price to pay? Not fair to the PEOPLE of America! $800 Billion Trade Deficit.......And add to that the fact that the U.S. pays close to the entire cost of NATO-protecting many of these same countries that rip us off on Trade (they pay only a fraction of the cost-and laugh!). The European Union had a $151 Billion Surplus-should pay much more for Military!
These were his first tweet in more than 24 hours.
8:50 p.m. EDT / 8:50 a.m. Singapore: Breaking down the tense talks ahead
The war of words that Trump has waged with Kim in the past isn't the only one at stake, as the U.S. and North Korea are technically still at war with one another.
The meeting between the two leaders, which will take place on Tuesday morning in Singapore (which means it will happen Monday night in the U.S. since Singapore is 12 hours ahead of EDT), will be a breakthrough moment.
Questions swirl about the definition of success for the summit, the possible derailing factors, and the possible implications of whatever conclusions are reached.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan breaks down these questions and more, here.
8:32 p.m. EDT / 8:32 a.m. Singapore: Summit starts after a different testy meeting with world leaders
Trump landed in Singapore after taking off not from Washington but from Quebec, Canada, where he had been participating in the G-7 conference and left with a parting shot at a longtime ally.
The G-7 conference ended with Trump publicly criticizing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over actions Trump perceived to be "dishonest and weak."
In spite of the tensions caused over tariffs, which you can read about here, Trump remained optimistic about the upcoming summit with Kim Jong Un.
“I really feel confident. I feel that Kim Jong Un wants to do something great for his people and he has that opportunity and he won’t have that opportunity again,” Trump said at a news briefing before leaving Quebec.
“I think within the first minute I’ll know” if North Korea is serious about a deal, said the president, who then touted his dealmaking abilities. “Just my touch, my feel. That’s what I do.”
8:12 p.m. EDT / 8:12 a.m. Singapore: Taking a look at the different arrivals
The optics of arrivals were on full display in Singapore on Sunday.
Kim was the first of the two headlining world leaders to arrive, landing in Singapore just before 3:00 p.m. local time (which is 12 hours ahead of Washington and EDT).
Kim landed at Singapore Changi International Airport and was greeted by Singapore's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.
Balakrishnan shared official photos of a smiling Kim deplaning from the Air China jet and shaking hands. Kim's entourage flew to Singapore on three jets: the first carried vehicles and supplies; the second, an Air China Boeing 747 used for high-level officials, carried Kim; and a third, Kim's personal jet, carried his sister Kim Yo Jong.
Read more about Kim's arrival here, from ABC News' Mark Osborne and Joohee Cho.
Roughly five hours later, at 8:21 p.m. local time, Trump made his grand entrance, walking off of Air Force One alone while wearing a dark suit and a bright blue tie.
He too was greeted by Singaporean Foreign Minister Balakrishnan.
Asked by reporters how he was feeling, Trump said, "very good" before getting into his presidential limousine and departing the airport for the Shangri-La Hotel, where he and his entourage will stay.
7: 15 p.m. EDT / 7: 15 a.m. Singapore: Kicking off the live blog
It's Monday morning now in Singapore – where it's 12 hours ahead of Washington/East Coast time. And in a little more than 24 hours, President Donald Trump is slated to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a high-stakes meeting between leaders of two nations with a history of tension and threats over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
That meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Singapore, which will be Monday night for the U.S. We haven't been told much about the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader but may get more as the summit gets closer.
ABC's Jordyn Phelps reports from Singapore:
The White House has yet to put out an official schedule of the president's meetings with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, but two meetings are expected.
Following Trump and Kim's choreographed first handshake, there is expected to be an initial meeting of a very small group of people. The meeting could even be as intimate as a direct one-on-one between Trump and Kim, with only their translators in attendance. At most, Secretary of State of Pompeo will accompany President Trump in this first encounter.
There will then be a second expanded bilateral meeting at which the fuller U.S. and North Korean delegations are expected to be present.
Both Trump and Kim arrived earlier Sunday and are staying in hotels less than half a mile apart.
The White House says that on the flight to Singapore the president spent time meeting with his staff, reading materials and preparing for his meeting with Kim. Joining him are Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton and chief of staff John Kelly and National Security Advisor John Bolton. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders is on the trip as well and we can expect to hear from her at some point.
Kim, meanwhile, arrived in Singapore with his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, and Kim Yong Chol, the senior adviser who visited Trump at the White to hand-deliver a letter from Kim a little more than a week ago when the summit was still in doubt about Trump abruptly canceled it.
WATCH LIVE MONDAY: Live streaming coverage of the North Korea Summit Monday starts at 7 p.m. ET on ABCNews.com or on the ABC News app available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Apple TV App Store, Amazon Fire TV and Roku Channel Store.
Check back here for live updates on the historic U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore.
