Donald Trump has told reporters he wants people in the US to "sit up to attention" like they do for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Speaking to the media outside the White House, the US president insisted he has "solved" the problem of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and insists he has "great chemistry together" with Mr Kim.

He said: "He's the head of a country and I mean he is the strong head, don't let anyone think anything different.

"He speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.

"We have a really great relationship for the first time ever, no presidents ever had this. So I get hit by these fakes back here... I get hit because I went there, I gave him credibility."


Image: North Korea has faced pressure of its nuclear weapons programme

The comments came after the two leaders met earlier this week at an historic summit in Singapore, where the North Korean leader signed a document committing to "complete denuclearisation".

Mr Trump later said he was kidding when he made the remark, adding reporters "don't understand sarcasm".

On the nuclear weapons programme, Mr Trump said: "I have solved that problem. Now we're getting it memorialised and all but that problem is largely solved."

Mr Trump spoke about the "shock" of his critics and revealed he had given his North Korean counterpart his direct line.

"We signed a very good document," he said.

"But more importantly than the document I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un.

"That's a very important thing. I can now call him... I gave him a very direct number. He can now call me if he has any difficulty. We have communication."

How many handshakes? Trump and Kim love-in

Asked by journalists why he appeared to defended Mr Kim's human rights record, Mr Trump said: "Because I don't want to see a nuclear weapon destroy you and your family.

"I want to have a good relationship with North Korea. I want to have a good relationship with other countries.

"When I came in people thought we were going to war with North Korea. That would have been 30, 40, 50 million people killed. I inherited this problem. I should never have inherited it. That problem should have been solved a long time ago."

Mr Trump also said he was due to call Mr Kim on Sunday following the Singapore summit on Tuesday.

When asked in a Fox News interview about his plans for Father's Day on Sunday, the US leader said: "I'm going to be actually calling North Korea."

Hours before the interview, he tweeted about seeing the Fox News team on the White House lawn.

Image: Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un signed a document together in Singapore

"Wow, the highest rated (by far) morning show, @foxandfriends, is on the Front Lawn of the White House. Maybe I'll have to take an unannounced trip down to see them?" he wrote.

At a news conference after the Singapore summit, Mr Trump hailed the progress made with Mr Kim - despite previously calling him "little rocket man" and threatening "fire and fury".

"Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace," he said.

The latest North Korea remarks follow Mr Trump announcing a 25% tariff on $50bn in Chinese imports.

He also told reporters on Friday he disputed findings by the Justice Department that former FBI director James Comey's handling of the Hilary Clinton probe into her emails was not politically motivated.

He said the FBI was biased "at the top level" and "plotting against my election".