Day 892: Trump proves again to be terrible negotiator, gives Kim incredible propaganda for no reason other than ego

Despite his promises to the contrary, North Korea has not agreed to denuclearize under Donald Trump. They continue to develop and test weapons and build launch sites according to U.S. intelligence agencies. After two failed summits with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, perhaps Trump and his advisers would have realized he had been played for the fool and North Korea has no intention of suspending their nuclear program.

Or not.

Trump’s ego handed Kim Jong-un a massive victory Sunday all so he could claim to be the first American president to step foot on North Korean soil. With Pyongyang cameras rolling and snapping thousands of photos, Trump crossed the demilitarized zone and shook hands with a grinning Kim.

North Korea has been begging for this type of propaganda for decades. While Trump falsely claimed Barack Obama wanted to meet Kim in North Korea, American president after American president — in addition to virtually every other world leader — has refused photo-ops with North Korean leaders that would solely benefit Pyongyang. This is due in large part to the human rights atrocities that are committed by North Korea and their refusal to curb their nuclear program. Trump has now given Kim not one (in Singapore), not two (in Hanoi) but three such moments, with the last being a greater gift than Kim ever could have dreamed.

Trump used the visit as a bargaining chip to re-open denuclearization talks, as opposed to using the chip of a potential visit as a way to spur actual denuclearization. It is a perfect example of what Trump has done for two and a half years: negotiating himself into a position of weakness by giving away all leverage.

892 days in, 570 to go

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