Donald Trump said North Korea had a bright economic future if the two countries made a deal, but did not have any economic future with nuclear weapons.

In his first major public appearance since returning from his summit with Kim Jong-un in Vietnam, the US president said America's relationship with the secretive country seemed to be “very, very strong".

“North Korea has an incredible, brilliant economic future if they make a deal, but they don’t have any economic future if they have nuclear weapons,” he told an audience at a Conservative Political Action Conference.

The second meeting between the US president and the North Korean leader was cut short after they failed to reach a deal on the extent of sanctions relief the country would get in exchange for steps to give up its nuclear programme.

The United States and North Korea have said they intend to continue talks, but have not said when a next round might take place.