President Trump said he had a “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un despite the fact that the country recently unveiled new intercontinental ballistic missiles at a military parade. Trump defied precedent during his first term by becoming the first US. president to step into North Korea and meet with the North Korean dictator. He said in the Oct. 22 debate that this had helped the U.S. evade nuclear war, although the talks with North Korea carried out during Trump’s time in office did not move the needle on denuclearization. Trump also blamed U.S. tensions with North Korea on President Obama, who declined to meet with Un during his time in office, claiming the previous administration “left us a mess.”
Biden accused Trump of trying to legitimize relations with the Un, who he called a “thug,” and said he would only meet with the North Korean leader on the condition that he would agree to draw down the country’s nuclear capacity. He likened Trump’s boasting of the U.S.’ “good relationship” with North Korea to praising a country's good relationship with Hitler before he invaded the rest of Europe. Trump and Biden met for their second and final debate Oct. 22, with new rules instituted by the Commission on Presidential Debates after a chaotic first debate in which both candidates -- but especially Trump -- interrupted each other and the moderator repeatedly. The debate comes less than two weeks before Election Day, as early voting numbers climb in several states across the country.
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