In comments on Air Force One, President Trump said he left Singapore early after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because there “was nothing more” that could have been accomplished.
Trump had initially suggested his trip to Singapore could last up to a few days, depending on how talks with Kim progressed. But before the summit officially began, the White House announced Monday that Trump planned to leave Singapore on Tuesday night, saying nuclear talks with North Korea were moving “more quickly than expected.”
“There was nothing more we could’ve done,” he told Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump, who praised Kim and hailed the summit as a success while he was still in Singapore, said that he feels “very little” disappointment that he didn’t secure a bigger commitment from Kim as part of the talks.
After Jacobs asked why Trump didn’t stay longer to negotiate more details with Kim, Trump said: “I’d rather fly during the night and get back tonight.”
Bloomberg reported that Trump’s departure time was moved up in response to Kim’s plans to leave Singapore shortly after the summit.
The summit concluded with Trump and Kim agreeing to a plan to denuclearize North Korea that left the details for later.
After hours of discussions, the two men signed an agreement committing the United States to unspecified “security guarantees” in exchange for a denuclearized Korean peninsula. The document did not include specifics on the timeline or nature of denuclearization, however.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is slated to conduct negotiations with North Korea in the coming days.
Trump also agreed to not hold military exercises with South Korea while the talks continue, a significant concession on the part of the United States.
The U.S. president has won good headlines at home and Republicans have reacted to the summit with optimism, though Democrats have criticized his rhetoric. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Trump had given concessions in exchange for vague promises from Kim.