Report: Trump Focused On “Pageantry” of North Korea Meeting, Not Policy

Although Kim Jong Un has made it fairly clear that North Korea won't be giving up their nuclear weapons, Trump's meeting with Kim hasn't been canceled (at least not yet) because Trump doesn't actually care about tangible results and policy.

Sources who spoke to the Associated Press say Trump is almost entirely focused on the presentation and "pageantry" of the meeting.

In other words, he just wants to put on a show.

Going into the North Korea meeting, senior administration officials say, the president has been almost singularly focused on the pageantry of the summit —including the suspenseful roll-out of details. He has not been deeply engaged in briefing materials on North Korea’s nuclear program, said three people with knowledge of the White House efforts. They were not authorized to speak publicly.

Scott Snyder, director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy at the Council of Foreign Relations, said there’s a risk that “the ceremony and the historic nature of the meeting be allowed to overshadow the deliverables.”

Driven by gut instinct, Trump rarely dives deep as he prepares to meet with foreign counterparts. For the North Korea meeting, insiders say, he is motivated by the idea of scoring a historic deal and is tickled by suggestions he could win a Nobel Peace Prize — especially since Barack Obama won the honor early in his presidency.

I think we all saw this coming and we should be prepared for the possibility that Trump will declare some sort of victory even if there's no victory in sight.

We should also be prepared to see Trump gives Kim Jon Un whatever he wants. That's what Trump has done so far. He's showered Kim Jong Un with gracious praise and legitimacy.

Trump even produced a goddamn collectable coin to commemorate their meeting.

I would not be the least bit surprised if Trump lifts sanctions, withdraws from South Korea, and allows Kim Jong Un to keep his nuclear weapons. Trump will do whatever he thinks will give him the best headlines. Nothing else matters.