SINGAPORE – President Trump huddled with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Istana Palace on Monday, a day after the local leader hosted North Korea’s reclusive ruler Kim Jong Un for separate bilateral talks.
Their meeting was scheduled to last two hours at the prime minister’s residence, before Trump returned to the Shangri-La Hotel for a meet-and-greet with U.S. embassy personnel. He is expected to spend the remainder of the afternoon in briefings with his national security team ahead of Tuesday’s summit with Kim.
“As you know, we’ve got a very interesting meeting meeting tomorrow,” Trump told Lee after emerging from their closed bilateral session. “And I just think it’s going to work out very nicely.”
“We do appreciate your hospitality, your professionalism and your friendship,” he added.
Trump and Lee were joined by several members of the U.S. delegation, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House chief of staff John Kelly, national security adviser John Bolton and his deputy Mira Ricardel, Matthew Pottinger, Asia director for the National Security Council, and several other NSC officials.
The meeting between Trump and Lee lasted substantially longer than Kim’s visit to Istana the previous evening. All 24 members of the U.S. delegation joined Trump and Lee for an expanded luncheon afterwards.
Kim’s schedule on Monday was unknown to reporters here. However, a delegation of North Korean officials were slated to meet with their U.S. counterparts at the Capella Hotel late Monday afternoon.
