After President Donald Trump met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Singapore this past June, he returned to the United States victorious, by his own accounts.
He touted successful talks and promised imminent disarmament.
And all seemed right with the world. There was even talk of Trump winning the Nobel Peace Prize. (Granted, some of that Nobel talk came from Trump himself.)
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[/embed]Then reports that North Korea was still producing ballistic missiles emerged and, though he bragged about denuclearization, Trump insisted that no new information was contained in the satellite photos that discovered the missile plants.
Now, National Security Advisor John Bolton wants to do it all again.
Bolton said on Tuesday that the Trump administration is taking steps to have another summit with Kim Jong Un, likely in early 2019.
Bolton said of the decision:
"They have not lived up to the commitments so far. That's why I think the President thinks that another summit is likely to be productive."
And once again, the administration's desire for Trump's redemption to come in the form of a Nobel Peace Prize showed:
"If the North Koreans follow through on their commitments they made in Singapore, President Trump will deserve the Nobel Peace Prize."
Hear his words in the video below:
It's often said that the definition of insanity is repeating the same action but expecting different results. This may be why Twitter was skeptical of a second summit.
Some think reasons other than pursuing peace may be afoot.
Past Presidents have avoided meeting with Kim Jong Un because the ruler is a dictator whose numerous atrocities include the murder of his own citizens. As a result, Trump's visit was deemed "historic." The two leaders conversing and smiling side by side made for a great photo-op.
Some think he wants to enjoy the good press again.
As of now, North Korea has still not ceased missile production. It's unclear how Trump and his administration would alter the second summit to produce more lasting results than the first, but it appears most Americans don't have faith in their own leader to figure that out.
