When Trump first met Kim at the lush Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa, he shook the dictator’s hand for thirteen seconds, patted him on the back, and led him down a rich red carpet. Kim was a pariah, arguably the world’s greatest abuser of human rights, and committed to nuclear armament. But Trump threw Kim a party, showering him with respect and declaring himself honored to be in his presence. The summit was carefully staged to put both leaders on equal footing, which normalized the authoritarian Kim. The spectacle was so jarring that even Kim acknowledged the oddity. He was
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