U.S. President Barack Obama says recent comments from Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump show a basic lack of understanding about global politics.
The U.S. leader was asked Friday about Trump's remarks that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent to North Korea.
Obama said, "The person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy or nuclear policy or the Korean peninsula or the world generally."
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles as he speaks at a campaign stop Tuesday, March 29, 2016.
Republicans divided
The presidential campaign of Trump, a former TV reality star, has evolved into a divisive segment of the Republican party, with some party members seeking to distance themselves from Trump and the comments he sometimes ends up retracting.
Obama, who taught constitutional law before becoming president, said that even countries that are used to a "carnival atmosphere" in their politics want "sobriety and clarity" in the U.S. elections.