Trump’s New Target: North Korea Back in Focus With 50 Nuclear Weapons

International News: US President Donald Trump has now shifted his attention to a new global flashpoint. Unlike his earlier standoffs with China, Russia, or Iran, Trump’s latest target is North Korea—a country believed to possess around 50 nuclear weapons. Since beginning his second term in office, Trump has made it clear that he intends to address the North Korean issue head-on. Trump announced this in a meeting with the president of South Korea at the White House on Tuesday (August 26). According to Trump, he has decided to meet Kim Jong Un at the end of this year. Trump has described Kim Jong Un as a wonderful person.

Why North Korea Is on Trump’s Radar

1. Rapid Nuclear Expansion:
   According to a report by Axios, the United States is closely reviewing how much the ground reality in North Korea has changed since Trump’s last engagement with Kim. Washington believes Pyongyang is accelerating its nuclear program at an alarming pace.

2. Production of Nuclear Weapons:
   South Korea has warned that North Korea is capable of producing nearly 20 nuclear warheads every year. Current estimates suggest the country already possesses around 50. While the US and its European allies insist that North Korea should dismantle its arsenal entirely, Pyongyang has categorically rejected the demand. Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, recently declared that North Korea will never surrender its nuclear capability, branding the nation as a “nuclear-rich state.”

3. Past Trump–Kim Summits:
   Between 2016 and 2020, Trump met Kim Jong Un twice in an attempt to push for denuclearization. While both summits created global headlines, they failed to produce a lasting breakthrough. With his return to power, Trump is determined not to repeat the same mistakes and wants to apply maximum pressure from the very first year of his presidency.

Why Wait Until the Year-End?

In fact, Donald Trump is currently engaged in resolving the Gaza war with Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel. Trump has already held meetings with Vladimir Putin and Zelensky on Russia and Ukraine. Soon Trump will hold a meeting with both the leaders.

Similarly, a compromise proposal is being prepared in Gaza. Trump has also had partial success in Lebanon. Trump wants to focus on North Korea only after resolving the conflict in Europe and the Middle East. This is the reason why Trump has said that he will meet Kim at the end of this year.