Key facts
- U.S. President Donald Trump would consider meeting with any individual if it serves U.S. national interests.
- The remarks were made by State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
- Trump has previously expressed his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year.
- Pigott stated that Trump views dialogue as a necessity, not a concession.
- Trump is described as a "deal maker" guided by national interests.
U.S. President Donald Trump would consider meeting with any leader if it serves the national interests of the United States, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott. Pigott's comments, made during a foreign press meeting on Monday, come amid speculation about a potential summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year.
Pigott emphasized that Trump views dialogue as a necessity rather than a concession. "And if he believes there's a national interest of the United States to meet with somebody, he will meet with them," Pigott said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency about the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit this year.