President Donald Trump is disputing that he told the Wall Street Journal he has a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, while the newspaper stands by its reporting as the two sides differ on what audio recordings indicate.
The newspaper said Trump, in an interview Thursday, said, "I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea." The comment raised the question of whether Trump, who has criticized Kim repeatedly in speeches and on social media, may have secretly spoken to him at some point.
Trump said in a Twitter post Sunday that what he said was "I'd have a good relationship" with Kim.
"A big difference," Trump said, adding in another message, "and they knew exactly what I said and meant. They just wanted a story. FAKE NEWS!"
The Journal said in a story posted on its website Sunday that it "stands by what it reported." The newspaper said it had agreed with the White House before the interview that audio recordings made by White House officials and reporters would be used for transcription purposes only.
The Journal said after the White House challenged the accuracy of the quote that it released the relevant portion of its audio recording. Sanders then posted a 15-second except of the White House's audio on her Twitter feed.
The newspaper said a transcript of the interview �� created for the Journal by an independent service and posted online by the newspaper Thursday evening �� said the president had said "I" rather than "I'd."
In a follow-up question in Thursday's interview, Trump was asked directly if he had spoken with Kim. "I'm not saying I have or haven't. I just don't want to comment," he said, according to the newspaper.
