The US President said on Monday at a Cabinet meeting that the North Korean strongman preferred him over Mr Obama and that the pair enjoyed a positive relationship. He said: “I like him, he likes me. We get along. I respect him, he respects me.” The President went on to say that Mr Obama was humiliated by Kim.
He claimed that the 44th US President made 11 attempts to call Kim, but was rebuffed each time.
Trump revealed that Mr Obama had warned him during the Presidential transition that North Korea’s nuclear ambitions were a serious problem and that he had no idea how to solve it.
The President explained:”He told me he doesn’t know how to solve it.
“I said, ‘Did you ever call him?’ No.”
He continued: “Actually, he tried. Eleven times.
“But the man on the other side, the gentleman on the other side, did not take his call. Okay?
“Lack of respect. But he takes my call.”
Trump’s claims were immediately rejected in a tweet by Ben Rhodes, the National Security Council spokesman under Mr Obama.
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One wrote: ”As if President Obama would want to phone an evil dictator!
“An enemy of the United States of America! You Donald Trump are the dictator- shoe-shiner, not President Obama.
“He was a respected prez who honored The Constitution by siding with HIS Country!”
While another commented: “In addition to realizing Kim has played and embarrassed him, Trump also knows history will record him as having been a disgrace; and so he tries to compensate for that by comparing himself to Obama by way of lies.
“I do wish tho the Obama people would go on air & swat them down.”
In June Trump made similar accusations, saying that Mr Obama had literally begged Kim for a meeting.
At the time, Mr Obama’s onetime director of national intelligence, James Clapper, laughed off the idea on CNN.
He said: “In all the deliberations that I participated in on North Korea during the Obama administration, I can recall no instance whatever where President Obama ever indicated any interest whatsoever in meeting with Chairman Kim.”
“I just – that’s news to me,” he laughed.