--- title: "Trump posts 2019 photo with Kim Jong Un, calls their relationship 'great'" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great" category: "Politics" area: "Asia-Pacific" published: "2026-08-15T19:25:26.869Z" source_reported: "2026-08-15T18:50:36.000Z" updated: "2026-08-15T19:25:26.869Z" trust_score: 68 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 25 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-15T20:29:06.943Z" --- # Trump posts 2019 photo with Kim Jong Un, calls their relationship 'great' *Former US president shares image on Truth Social, says he and North Korean leader 'understand each other wonderfully'* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 68 of 100, higher is better. Trust 68: multiple named sources (Fleitz, Lee) and specific date/platform give corroboration across several outlets. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95: provides context, quotes officials, separates facts from comment, includes dates and names, outlines next steps. - Hype 25 of 100, lower is better. Hype 25: headline mildly sensational but body matches content without exaggerated claims. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Donald Trump posted a 2019 photo of himself with Kim Jong Un on Truth Social on 15 August 2026, calling their relationship 'great'. - Fred Fleitz, former National Security Council chief of staff, said Trump remains open to meeting Kim again but will insist on denuclearisation. - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Trump would focus on North Korea after an agreement with Iran, as reported by Digi 24. - No concrete plans for a summit have been announced, though some outlets reported speculation about a possible meeting this autumn. Donald Trump posted a photograph of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on 15 August 2026. The image, originally taken during a 2019 meeting, was shared on Truth Social with a caption stating, "Despite the unfriendly look in this particular picture, there are many where we're smiling; Kim Jong Un and I get along GREAT!" The post did not mention any current diplomatic efforts or planned meetings. Fred Fleitz, who served as chief of staff to the National Security Council during Trump’s first term, said in April 2026 that a summit between Trump and Kim could take place that autumn. Fleitz told an event hosted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies that Trump would insist on denuclearisation and would press Kim to stop supplying arms to Russia for use in Ukraine. Fleitz’s remarks were reported by Digi 24. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in June 2026 that Trump would prioritise the North Korean issue after concluding an agreement with Iran. Lee made the statement to reporters in Seoul following a meeting with Trump at the G7 summit in France. Digi 24 carried the comments. ## What the reports emphasised The digests and reports below agree that Trump posted the photo and described his relationship with Kim as positive. They also agree that Fleitz and Lee Jae Myung have suggested a possible future meeting, though none has been confirmed. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned Fred Fleitz’s prediction of a possible summit or his comments on denuclearisation. None of them carried South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s statement that Trump would focus on North Korea after an agreement with Iran. The Raw Story digest did not mention either Fleitz’s or Lee’s remarks. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 29% (2) - Centre: 14% (1) - Right: 57% (4) 3 of 10 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-15T20:29:06.943Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 5 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-15T20:30:33.839Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The Raw Story digest led on Trump’s description of his relationship with Kim as "GREAT!" and called Kim a "brutal dictator". It quoted Trump’s caption in full but did not mention Fleitz’s comments or Lee Jae Myung’s statement. ### Centre - Digi 24’s full report led with Trump’s post and his claim that he and Kim "understand each other wonderfully". It carried Fleitz’s prediction of a possible autumn summit and his insistence on denuclearisation. It also included Lee Jae Myung’s statement that Trump would focus on North Korea after an agreement with Iran. The report did not use the word "dictator" for Kim. ### Right - The three right-rated digests, Yonhap News Agency, India Today and Mehr News Agency, all led on Trump’s post and his description of his relationship with Kim. Yonhap News Agency’s digest described the 2019 meeting as an "impromptu meeting" and said Trump posted the photo to show "good relations". India Today’s digest called the photo a "throwback" and noted that Trump "joked" about their "unfriendly look". None of the three digests mentioned Fleitz’s comments or Lee Jae Myung’s statement. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 3 - high: 4 - unknown: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Cumhuriyet](https://cumhuriyet.com.tr/siyaset/trump-tan-kim-jong-un-mesaji-cok-iyi-geciniyoruz-2529392) — Trump's Message to Kim Jong UN: 'We Get Along Very Well' - [Adevarul](https://adevarul.ro/stiri-externe/sua/donald-trump-provoaca-din-nou-fotografia-in-care-2550161.html) — Donald Trump Provokes Again. Photo Featuring Kim Jong UN: "We Understand Each Other Wonderfully. - [Digi 24](https://digi24.ro/stiri/externe/sua/donald-trump-a-publicat-o-fotografie-in-care-apare-alaturi-de-kim-jong-un-mesajul-liderului-sua-ne-intelegem-de-minune-3907915) — Donald Trump Posted a Photo Featuring Kim Jong UN. U.S. Leader's Message: "We Understand Each Other Wonderfully. - [연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency](https://yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260816001800071) — Trump Posts Photo of Meeting with Kim Jong-UN at Panmunjom… “Good Relations” - [India Today](https://indiatoday.in/world/story/donald-trump-kim-jong-un-photo-get-along-great-2972186-2026-08-15) — Trump posts throwback photo with Kim Jong Un, jokes about their 'unfriendly look' - [Akşam](https://aksam.com.tr/dunya/trumptan-kim-jong-un-surprizi-eski-fotografi-paylasip-duyurdu/haber-1690924) — Trump Surprises Kim Jong UN: He Shared an Old Photo and Announced It. - [Haberler](https://haberler.com/politika/trump-kim-jong-un-ve-ben-cok-iyi-geciniyoruz-20148443-haberi) — Trump Sends a Message of Friendship to Kim Jong UN. - [Mehr News Agency](https://mehrnews.com/news/6917493/%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%BE-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%87%D9%85-%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%A2%DB%8C%DB%8C%D9%85) — Trump: North Korean Leader and I Get Along Very Well! - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/trump-north-korea-2677711651) — Trump touts 'GREAT!' relationship with brutal dictator — 'despite the unfriendly look' - [Unknown](https://chosun.com/international/international_general/2026/08/16/33YGHC64NFCTVKQNRHJ3B6Y5GE) — Trump Posts Photo of Kim Jong-UN, Says “We Get Along Very Well” ## Questions **What did Donald Trump say about Kim Jong Un in his post?** Trump posted a 2019 photo of himself with Kim Jong Un on Truth Social on 15 August 2026, writing that despite an unfriendly look in the image, "Kim Jong Un and I get along GREAT!". The post did not mention any current diplomatic efforts or planned meetings between the two. **Did any outlets report that Trump might meet Kim Jong Un again?** Digi 24 reported that Fred Fleitz, former National Security Council chief of staff, said in April 2026 that a summit between Trump and Kim could take place that autumn. Fleitz said Trump would insist on denuclearisation and press Kim to stop supplying arms to Russia. No concrete plans for a meeting have been announced. **Which outlets mentioned South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s comments?** Digi 24 reported that Lee Jae Myung said in June 2026 that Trump would focus on the North Korean issue after concluding an agreement with Iran. None of the right-rated digests or the Raw Story digest mentioned Lee’s statement. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump posts 2019 photo with Kim Jong Un, calls their relationship 'great'", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-posts-2019-photo-with-kim-jong-un-calls-their-relationship-great