For once, Trump's attempt at counter-programming failed when the summit with Kim Jong Un broke up early with no agreement. It left the North Korea initiative -- on which Trump has played huge political capital -- in doubt. Criticism that Trump is engineering summits with North Korea as big photo-ops that are devoid of substance looks more valid after his Hanoi trip. But that possibility cannot disguise the serious issues the Hanoi summit's failure raises about Trump's approach to North Korea and diplomacy in general. "This speaks to a lack of preparation," said Joseph Yun, a former US special representative for North Korea policy.

Source: CNN February 28, 2019 12:11 UTC