Trump says he would never call Kim Jong-un "short and fat," lashes out against "haters and fools"
In a series of tweets Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump attacked the "haters and fools" and responded to North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un reportedly calling him "old."
"Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend -- and maybe someday that will happen," Trump tweeted.
Pres. Trump also responded to the backlash after he told reporters aboard Air Force One that he considers Russian President Vladimir Putin's denials about election interference sincere.
"He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they are saying he did," Trump said as he traveled to Hanoi, the second-to-last stop of his Asia trip.
On Twitter, Trump said a relationship with Russia is a good thing.
"When will all the haters and fools out there realize that having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. There (sic) always playing politics - bad for our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!" he tweeted.
On Saturday, Kim's government responded by accusing Trump of trying to demonize North Korea, keep it apart from the international community and undermine its government.
"Reckless remarks by an old lunatic like Trump will never scare us or stop our advance," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "On the contrary, all this makes us more sure that our choice to promote economic construction at the same time as building up our nuclear force is all the more righteous, and it pushes us to speed up the effort to complete our nuclear force."
North Korea is not known to have tested any of its missiles or nuclear devices since Sept. 15, a relative lull after a brisk series of tests earlier this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
