Trump claim Obama begged for Kim Jong Un meeting dismissed by former US intelligence chief: 'I don't know where he's getting that'

US president says he has 'chemistry' with North Korean leader while claiming - without providing evidence - predecessor's requests were repeatedly refused

The former director of national intelligence for Barack Obama has dismissed Donald Trump’s claims that the former president was “begging” to meet Kim Jong-un.

James Clapper laughed after he was shown a clip of Mr Trump telling reporters that Mr Obama’s requests to meet with the North Korean leader were refused.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union programme on Sunday morning, Mr Clapper said: "I don't know where he's getting that.

“In all the deliberations that I participated in on North Korea during the Obama administration, I can recall no instance whatever where president Obama ever indicated any interest whatsoever in meeting with chairman Kim. That's news to me.”

Later in the interview, Mr Clapper acknowledged that Mr Trump’s visit to North Korea was “a great historic moment” as he became the first US president to enter the country.

But the former intelligence chief, who also served under president George W Bush, said he did not think the US president’s visit was a breakthrough moment in nuclear talks between the two countries.

“I personally don’t believe the North Koreans have long term any intent to denuclearise,” he said. “Why should they? It’s their ticket to survival, and they’re just not going to do that.

An hour after meeting with Mr Kim on Sunday, Mr Trump told reporters: "President Obama wanted to meet and Chairman Kim would not meet him.

"The Obama administration was begging for a meeting — they were begging for meetings, constantly and Chairman Kim would not meet with him, and for some reason we have a certain chemistry or whatever."

Mr Trump’s claim was also disputed by Mr Obama’s deputy national security adviser.

“Trump is lying. I was there for all 8 years. Obama never sought a meeting with Kim Jong Un,” Ben Rhodes tweeted.

“Foreign policy isn’t reality television it’s reality.”