USA TODAY International Edition
Six things to know from the Trump-Kim summit
And just like that, it’s over. President Trump met with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un on Tuesday, leading to a summit that was filled with pomp but lacked in details. Here’s what you need to know about what went down during their meeting in Singapore.
1. The handshake
When Trump and Kim met, it began with a handshake. The two grasped hands for several seconds, Trump at one point touching his other hand to Kim’s arm. That handshake represents the first time a sitting U.S. president has ever met with a leader of North Korea face-to-face. The rest of the day would be filled with staged photo opportunities that showed the two getting along.
2. Denuclearization
Trump declared that the summit would lead to denuclearization in North Korea, and he noted that this was only the beginning of such negotiations.
“Today is the beginning of an arduous process — our eyes are wide open,” Trump said.
It’s a far cry from when he was threatening North Korea with “fire and fury” last year, and North Korea warned it could attack Guam.
3. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea
Trump also said he would withdraw troops from South Korea and stop playing “war games” military exercises with the country.
He would like to “get our soldiers home,” he said.
The U.S. military has maintained a presence on the Korean peninsula since 1950, when North Korean forces invaded South Korea.
4. The statement
But for all the pronouncements, the joint statement released by Trump and Kim lacked specifics. Trump has “committed to provide security guarantees.” Kim has “reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
But without specifics, it remains a mystery what that means and how it will get done.
5. Otto Warmbier
Trump and Kim held a wide-ranging news conference that went on for longer than an hour. During it, Trump invoked the name of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who was detained in North Korea for 15 months. He was in a comatose state when he was released and died less than a week later.
Warmbier’s death was the impetus for the summit, Trump said.
“Otto did not die in vain,” he said.
6. Another summit — and maybe a visit to the White House
Given that this is only the beginning, Trump noted during the news conference that there would likely be a need for another meeting.
“We’ll probably need another summit,” he said.
He also mentioned that he would “absolutely” invite Kim to the White House, and that he would do so at the “appropriate time,” another unprecedented move by a U.S. president.