TRUMP IS NOT AFRAID TO TALK WITH TYRANTS

In his willingness to meet with notorious leaders, a doctrine of pragmatic engagement emerges

@gregorykorte USA TODAY WASHINGTON President Trump demonstrates a willingness to meet with some of the most notorious leaders on the world stage — a wheelingand-dealing approach to diplomacy that is both an embrace and a rejection of President Obama’s policy of engaging with adversaries.

In the span of 48 hours, President Trump announced that he had invited Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte — whose war on drugs has led to the extrajudicial killing of thousands of Filipinos over the past year — to the White House. And he told Bloomberg news that he would be willing to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un — which, if it happened, would be the first time a U.S. president met with a leader of the hermit nation since the Korean War. “I would be honored to do it,” Trump said, emphasizing that it would have to be “under the right circumstances.”

Last month, Trump made headlines for taking a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose human rights record includes the jailing of thousands of dissidents. Al-Sisi came to the White House as part of Trump’s effort to solidify an alliance against Islamic extremism.

Trump’s businesslike willingness to make deals on the world stage is becoming a central pillar of what could be seen as an emerging Trump Doctrine — that building personal relationships with rivals, adversaries and even enemies can advance American interests.

“The reason that the president is building an effective coalition and is getting results around the globe in reasserting America’s place is because he understands the type of diplomacy and the type of negotiating and the type of dealmaking that actually gets real results for our country,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.