Cameras struggled to capture a steady shot as Donald Trump made his historic first steps into North Korea alongside Kim Jong Un. It was 2019, and the then-President of the United States lightly patted Kim’s arm as the North Korean leader guided him across the border that divides North and South Korea, two nations still technically at war. Behind them, in the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), media crews scrambled to get a clear view, with North Korean bodyguards looking taken aback by the sudden influx of American press.
At one point, a reporter needed assistance, and the White House press secretary had to pull them past security to join the Trump-Kim photo moment. The meeting, arranged at the last minute, clearly showed signs of its rushed nature. “I never thought I’d meet you here,” Kim told Trump. Just 30 hours earlier, the U.S. president had invited Kim via Twitter, suggesting they meet in the DMZ “just to shake hands and say hello.”
Their last encounter, during Trump’s presidency, didn’t make significant progress toward denuclearization, North Korea’s key demand. Since then, Kim has advanced his missile program and tested a hypersonic missile despite international sanctions. This is far from when Trump bragged about how the two “fell in love.” Now the question is whether they can rekindle their relationship or if things have changed too much.
Washington would now face a very different Kim. His international alliances have shifted, and his relationship with another world leader seems to have grown stronger. Could this impact his dynamic with Trump?
Can Their Relationship Be Rekindled?
“It’s possible,” says Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and the director of its Korea Program. “Trump’s decision to appoint a special envoy for North Korea shows where his thoughts might be.” Trump has brought back key figures from his earlier administration, like former U.S. ambassador Richard Grenell, now tasked with global special missions, including North Korea. However, the years have brought changes.
“North Korea will likely spend the first year showing Trump that Kim Jong Un isn’t the same as in 2017. He’s stronger militarily and politically, and any future talks will look different,” Town argues. Kim has also formed a new bond with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has provided North Korea with food and fuel in exchange for weapons and soldiers for the war in Ukraine. North Korea is no longer as dependent on U.S. sanctions relief.
North Korea Prepares Its People for Trump’s Return
Rachel Minyoung Lee, who was a former senior North Korean media analyst for the U.S. government, told the BBC that North Korea has been preparing its citizens for Trump’s potential return to talks. But she believes the “bar for negotiations will now be much higher.” “Two things would need to happen,” she says. “North Korea must feel desperate enough to negotiate, possibly due to a struggling economy or worsening ties with Russia. Alternatively, the U.S. would have to make a new, more favorable offer.”
Trump hinted that he might be ready to restart talks during a recent Oval Office ceremony, saying, “I was very friendly with him. He liked me. I liked him. We got along well.” However, Sydney Seiler, former national intelligence officer for North Korea, cautioned that any renewed talks should be realistic. “There’s no chance of arms control with North Korea. We’ve tried that already,” he said. “The best-case scenario is that North Korea will talk, avoid testing long-range missiles, and hold off on a seventh nuclear test, making the issue manageable. The worst-case scenario is that they’ll continue testing regardless of talks. So, Trump needs to weigh the value of engaging North Korea again.”
Selfies, Photo Ops, and a Cancelled Lunch
In 2018, I watched the Winter Olympics in South Korea, where an unexpected guest, Kim Jong Un’s sister, was seated just below me. Her presence was historic as it was the first time a member of the Kim family had visited the South since the Korean War. Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence sat near her, and they avoided eye contact. Despite the tension, this visit marked an unexpected shift in diplomatic relations.
When Trump took office in 2017, North Korea had fired nearly a missile every month. Trump responded on Twitter, threatening “fire and fury,” and dubbed Kim “Little Rocket Man.” North Korea retaliated by calling Trump a “dotard.” Then both sides exchanged threats about their nuclear capabilities, with Trump even claiming his nuclear button was more powerful than Kim’s.
However, things changed in 2018. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, born in a refugee camp after fleeing the North, facilitated communication with Pyongyang. This led to North Korea attending the Winter Olympics, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
Trump flew to Singapore in 2018, hoping to make history with a summit with Kim. The North Korean leader took a stroll through the city and posed for selfies, showing his growing confidence on the world stage. The summit led to a handshake and a signed statement, but it produced few tangible commitments from North Korea to denuclearize.
At their next summit in Hanoi, photo ops were not enough. There was no deal, and the U.S. delegation waited for hours outside their meeting location, initially told they would share a meal, only for it to be canceled.
What Went Wrong?
The BBC spoke to sources involved in the Hanoi summit to understand what went wrong. Both leaders overestimated their positions. Trump offered to lift U.S. sanctions if Kim completely gave up his nuclear weapons, but Kim insisted on a more modest deal. Neither side compromised, and the meeting ended without progress. Kim’s plan to dismantle his aging Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for partial sanctions relief wasn’t enough for Trump, who had been briefed on other undisclosed North Korean sites.
Some sources suggest Kim attempted to salvage the deal by sending a message through an aide. However, Trump was already on his way to the airport. “The story of Hanoi needs to be understood correctly,” says Seiler. “Trump walked out of the room when Kim refused to put everything on the table.”
Afterward, North Korea held an unprecedented press conference, signaling the missed opportunity. “There was a real chance for progress,” says Jenny Town. “Kim Jong Un had raised expectations within North Korea that a breakthrough was imminent. If the U.S. had capitalized on that moment, things could have been very different. Denuclearization wouldn’t have come easily, but tensions on the Korean Peninsula might have been reduced.”
Trump’s unconventional diplomacy reduced tensions for a while but failed to stop North Korea’s weapons development. His meetings with Kim, though historic, may have also legitimated a regime with one of the world’s worst human rights records. Yet, after three high-profile summits, there seemed to be a genuine connection between the two leaders, offering hope for peace in the future.
