WASHINGTON — US Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump defended his relationships with North Korea and Russia during a rally in Pennsylvania on Friday, stating that "getting along" with these countries is "a good thing."

Trump’s comments were in response to remarks made by Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who had criticized his approach, saying she would not "cozy up to dictators" like Trump.

Referring to his 2019 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, Trump highlighted his brief entry into North Korean territory, calling it a historic moment.

"I got along with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Remember I walked over ... the first person to ever walk over from this country," Trump said. "We also looked at his nuclear capability. It's very substantial ... You know, getting along is a good thing. It's not a bad thing."

Trump’s remarks came after Harris' nomination acceptance speech in Chicago on August 23, where she criticized Trump for his personal ties with Kim Jong-un, asserting that she would not "cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-un who are rooting for Trump." — Agencies