Trump to hold one-on-one meeting, working lunch with PM Lee

SINGAPORE — United States President Donald Trump will have a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (June 11), followed by an expanded bilateral meeting and a working lunch, the White House said on Sunday.

The official meetings and lunch will be held at the Istana from noon to about 2pm, according to Mr Trump's official schedule. He will also meet staff from the US embassy in Singapore on Monday afternoon, the White House added.

Mr Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday night, ahead of a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Both leaders are scheduled to meet at a historic summit in Sentosa on Tuesday.

Mr Trump's Air Force One landed at the Paya Lebar Airbase around 8.20pm. He stepped off the plane about 10 minutes later, and was greeted by officials from the United States and Singapore, including foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Asked how felt about Tuesday's summit, Mr Trump said "very good". He and his motorcade departed minutes later for the Shangri-La Hotel.

The police imposed road closures in the areas near Paya Lebar towards Anderson Road as Mr Trump's motorcade drove past, though that did not deter some Singaporeans from waiting near the airbase to try a glimpse of the US leader and his presidential state car, nicknamed "The Beast".

Retired aviation engineer Teo Hong Mong, 78, told TODAY as he waited outside the airbase: “I came to see his big fantastic limousine car. I wanted to see him, but I couldn’t see his face. It’s a historical moment for Singapore, very good publicity for Singapore."

About 50 onlookers and Trump supporters also gathered around a crowd of reporters along Anderson Road to catch a glimpse of his motorcade. At least a hundred journalists and photographers were gathered near Shangri-La Hotel to document the US leader’s arrival. - ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JUSTIN ONG AND CYNTHIA CHOO