Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vietnam exactly two weeks from today, but don't expect any fireworks or substantial agreements.
And don't take my word for it -- that's what the special representative to North Korea says.
Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun told visiting South Korean legislators that nuclear negotiations would likely stretch beyond the summit planned for Feb. 27-28 in Hanoi, lawmaker Baek Seung-joo said. Biegun, who was in Pyongyang last week, blamed North Korea for dragging out talks since Trump’s historic summit with Kim in Singapore last June, Baek said by phone from Washington.
“He told North Korea that wasting six months was a big mistake that cannot be justified,” Baek, a former deputy defense minister, said Wednesday. “It is difficult to resolve all the tricky issues within two weeks and negotiations will have to continue after the summit.”
So, at least someone in the Trump regime seems to realize that Kim Jong-un is just stringing them along.
Stephen Biegun may or may not be a dummy, but Trump still is and he will almost certainly proclaim his upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un was a big success even if the meeting does not result in meaningful changes in the status quo. And by claiming it was a big success, Trump will give Kim Jong-un more time; more legitimacy.
Kim Jong-un has only been able to string Trump along because Trump is an active participant in the scheme. They "fell in love," Trump once said.