American Beaches

The summit in Singapore between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was truly historic. It was the first time an American president legitimized the dictatorial regime of North Korea.

Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg has been searching out the Trump doctrine on foreign policy. After talking to administration officials over several weeks, he finally got one from a White House official with direct access to Trump. It’s “we’re America, bitch.”

That sort of attitude invigorates the testosterone-fueled, alpha-male wannabe Trump sycophants who want to see America mark its territory over friends and foes alike. Former White House official and white supremacists Sebastian Gorka famously said before it was discovered he was an international fugitive, “the era of the pajama boy is over.”

This new era without pajamas has given us a leader who agreed to sit down with a dictator without any preconditions, or consultations with anyone who knows anything about the region being discussed. It just felt good to him. Meeting Hitler probably felt good to Chamberlain too.

Trump told us he didn’t need to prepare for his meeting and his actions display he didn’t prepare at all. He agreed to meet with Kim Jong Un for their first meeting without anyone else in the room except translators. Immediately, he put himself at a disadvantage as Kim can speak English and Trump is still struggling with the language.

During the meeting, he tried to sell Kim the idea of building hotels on North Korean beaches. This is a dictator who refuses to give his people internet access. He’s going to build beach resorts?

Trump says his entire life has been about making deals, and apparently, the art of the deal is getting someone to agree to something they’ve already agreed to. Trump and Kim signed an agreement that Kim had already covered with the president of South Korea. Trump wanted to unveil the details later, but his shtick of showing off his signature gave photographers with zoom lenses the opportunity to see the four conditions on the one-page document.

The agreement said both countries would play nice, the U.S. would provide security guarantees, Kim would destroy a missile facility (just one), they would work on returning the remains of POWs and MIAs, and that Kim reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. This is a weaker agreement than past agreements the North Koreans never kept. This agreement is so weak, they don’t even have to violate it. They can just ignore it. They got the photo-op.

There was no agreement on human rights. No word on Japanese citizens North Koreans kidnapped. Nothing about North Korea hacking American businesses. But, Trump said he’s suspending war games with South Korea, and he desires to withdraw all U.S. forces from the Korean peninsula. Trump did not consult or give a heads up on any of this with South Korea. This is what happens when you don’t prepare.

Trump described Kim as “talented.” He said he developed a “special bond” with Kim, and on people in forced labor camps, Trump said they’re “one of the great winners” of this summit. Did I mention he didn’t prepare? If the people in North Korean gulags had internet access, they could keep the “winning” in mind while eating dirt and cabbage tomorrow.

The one detail that can’t be overlooked is it doesn’t matter what was in the agreement. North Korea breaks promises and so does Donald Trump. While Trump and Fox News sycophants can crow and cheer his handshake with Kim, you have to gauge the “deal” on whom they dealt with.

Donald Trump signed an agreement with a dictator, a man who has murdered hundreds, including members of his own family. This is a regime that enslaves and starves their own people. There is no free press in North Korea. This cartoon and blog will not be read by anyone in the DPRK. Kim Jong Un is still a mystery to the world, but he’s built a cult of personality that Donald Trump can only dream of unless his followers have started to believe he can talk to dolphins and doesn’t poo. Trust me. He poos and dolphins don’t want to talk to him.

Trump left Singapore saying he trusts Kim Jong Un. Trump has given his trust to a dictator, legitimized a murderous, communist regime, and ended military exercises that the DPRK wanted to be gone.

By his not preparing, Donald Trump made himself Kim Jong Un’s bitch.

Watch Me Draw.

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