Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Friday defended his warm praise of Kim Jong Un, saying his newfound affinity for the North Korean dictator was making Americans safer.

At the same time, Trump expressed esteem for the forced deference North Koreans show for their leader and joked he wished "my people" would do the same.

Asked why he's warmed to Kim, Trump insisted he was defusing a nuclear standoff.

"I don't want to see a nuclear weapon destroy you and your family," he told reporters during an impromptu question-and-answer session at the White House.

"I want to have a good relationship with North Korea. I want to have a good relationship with many other countries," Trump said. "We had great chemistry. He gave us a lot."

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