Trump breaks from the past in Asia with uncertain results

NEW YORK » In his travels across Asia, President Donald Trump offered himself as a sharp break from presidents past. He pushed regional leaders to reshape trade deals to America’s liking, opted against spotlighting human rights abuses and cranked up pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear program.

But for all the pageantry and promises unfurled during his fivenation, 12-day trip, Trump returns to Washington with few concrete accomplishments in hand and leaves uncertain Asian capitals in his wake.

The president pushed a go-it-alone trade policy yet reaffirmed traditional alliances. He cajoled and flattered leaders in Tokyo and Seoul without eliciting firm commitments for a more balanced economic relationship. He opened the door to negotiations with North Korea, but such diplomatic overtures were overshadowed by a tweet that derided dictator Kim Jong Un as “short and fat.”