7 Complimentary Things Trump Said About Kim

President Trump said ahead of his summit with Kim Jong Un that he'd be able to size up his fellow world leader in a matter of minutes. Trump apparently liked what he saw, based on his comments to various news outlets after the fact. Here's a sample of his compliments about the man he once ridiculed as "rocket man":

• Negotiator: "Great personality and very smart," Trump said of Kim. "Good combination. He’s a worthy negotiator. He’s negotiating on behalf of his people, a very worthy, very smart negotiator, absolutely." See the Financial Times.
• Talented: "I learned that he’s a very talented man," said Trump. "I also learned that he loves his country very much." See Time.

• Talented, part II: "Well he is very talented," said Trump. "Anybody who takes over a situation like he did at 26 years of age and is able to run it, and run it tough—I don't say 'he was nice.'" See CNBC.
• Leadership: "I don't think they have ever had the confidence in a president they have right now for getting things done and ability to get things done," Trump said, referring to North Koreans. See CNN.
• Trust: "I do trust him, yeah," Trump tells George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. Referring to his previous view of Kim: "Over my lifetime I've done a lot of deals with a lot of people and sometimes the people you most distrust turn out to be the most honorable ones."
• Future invite: Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump replied, "Absolutely I will," adding, "That will be a day that I very much look forward to at the appropriate time." See the Hill.
• A bond: "We both want to do something. We both are going to do something. And we have developed a very special bond." See Real Clear Politics.

(More President Trump stories.)