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The US president last night revealed how North Korea “called up” the White House in a bid to arrange crunch talks.

And Mr Trump refused to rule out a confrontation with the hermit kingdom tyrant.

He told reporters at a dinner in Washington how a conversation could be on the cards – but only if Pyongyang “denukes”.

(Image: GETTY)

The President said: “They…called up a couple of days ago, they said ‘we would like to talk’.

“And I said, ‘so would we, but you have to denuke.”

And the billionaire-turned-politician warned: “I would not rule out direct talks with Kim Jong-un.

“As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that’s his problem, not mine.”

But North Korea risked inflaming tensions by suggesting the US was “terrified” by the “rapid development” of its “nuclear force”.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “really more than ridiculous” the US wanted it to scrap its nuclear weapons programme as part of any dialogue.

However the ministry insisted negotiation was possible in a bid to find a “diplomatic and peaceful” solution.

It comes just hours after a top US senator warned a war with North Korea would be “worth it” – stoking the flames of a potential global conflict.

(Image: GETTY)

Republican Lindsey Graham, who represents South Carolina, told CNN the US would launch military action if Pyongyang succeeded in developing nukes capable of hitting the West.

“All the damage that would come from a war would be worth it in terms of long-term stability and national security,” Mr Graham said.

Mr Trump signed off the largest package of sanctions in a bid to pile pressure on Kim to give up his nukes and missile programme.

And he warned “phase two” would be “very, very unfortunate for the world” if the measures did not yield results.