Subject: Out of town pool report #6 — Abe bilat starting
Pool was brought into the bilat room at 11:31.
POTUS and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were seated beside one another with aides seated in a line across from one another. Flags of the two countries were arranged behind their chairs.
Quotes from Trump:
“Our relationship with Prime Minister Abe and Japan is I think the best it’s ever been.”
“We’re discussing trade. We’re doing a lot of trade together.”
He says we’re “also discussing North Koreas Those discussions are going well.”
And this on the G7, which Trump said has “really been outstanding; from the moment we’ve been here we’ve been treated beautifully....
“Thus far, this has been really a great G7...congratulate France and your president because they have really done a great job.”
They’re still talking. More TK.
Subject: Out of town pool report #8 - NK comments, end of Abe spray
Asked about North Korean missile tests, Trump said he is “not happy with the short range.”
He asked Abe to give his thoughts and he said it’s a clear UN violation (don’t have full quotes).
Trump responds: “I can understand how the prime minister of Japan feels.”
Trump says he and Abe are in total alignment even though Abe claims NK is violating the UN and Trump wouldn’t go that far, said he never spoke to Kim Jong-Un specifically about short range missiles.
Will effort fuller quotes before the next bilat. Pool escorted out at 11:47.