Speaking to the press following his unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Trump thanked Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the citizens of Singapore for helping to make the historic US-North Korea summit possible.
President Trump later acknowledged that PM Lee “probably made a difference” with regards to the summit:
PM Lee shares what appears to be a pretty warm relationship with President Trump. The two leaders met for the first time at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Hamburg, last year. Later in October, PM Lee made an official visit to the US and was invited to the White House where President Trump reaffirmed the relationship the US and Singapore share.
During the devastating Hurricane Harvey that hit Texas and Louisiana last year, PM Lee offered Singapore’s assistance in the disaster relief operations by deploying our air force’s CH-47 Chinook helicopters from its Peace Prairie detachment in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Prior to the summit with Kim, President Trump met with PM Lee. The pair had a conversation before moving for lunch. PM Lee shared that he had invited President Trump to make a state visit here soon following the meeting.