The jury is still out but the global audience has made their opinion known. In the Trump – Kim show last Tuesday, Kim scored more on the PR meter by looking cool. Crowds in Singapore and the media adopted him on the world stage of leaders. But the clear winners, however, are Russia and China. Meanwhile, the losers are the US allies, especially Japan. We don’t know about the US military and diplomatic professionals. The joint exercises will be stopped, Trump says, which will not be welcomed by the US military. With the exception of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, US diplomats were kept in the dark during the whole preparation. And Pompeo himself had to maintain his patience when he faced tough questions from reporters.
Kim Jong-un came home to a hero’s welcome, complete with a reception line on the tarmac while Donald Trump complained incessantly that the real enemies were not countries but reporters. He seemed disappointed at the mixed reactions he received from the media, ‘especially NBC, CNN and other fake news.’
He has cooled down his anger at Canada and the G7, claiming his relations with them were good while Canada and Germany continue to berate US trade policies. Trump cannot understand why few people fail to see things his way, including the historic Singapore summit.
In the meantime, China is delighted. They got everything they wanted. Relaxation of tensions on the Korean peninsula means they have less of a military threat from the North. And Trump’s infatuation with North Korea means less pressure to impose sanctions on their client state. Now, China can take their quest for hegemony to the next level. Russia can be proud of its status as the senior member in the North Korean government. Putin can also be proud of his biggest fan, Donald Trump. Whether or not there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, Russia cannot ask for more as President Trump sustains his respect for Putin and leaves US natural allies biting the dust.
Going forward we will be able to see the real winners of the Singapore Dialogue, as the extravaganza gets absorbed in the complex fabric of everyday realities. They are, among others, the looming trade wars, the political fracture in American politics, the unfriendly relations with G7 and NATO, the worsening human rights situation in many states and the erosion of confidence in the United States, as the global leader since the end of World War II.
