BBC NEWS WASHINGTON

TRUMP THE DIPLOMAT BASKS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ANALYSIS BY ANTHONY ZURCHER.

This is Trump diplomacy, unfolding in real time. If it's not what the world expects, if it's statecraft as we've never seen it before, that's because this is a president unlike any the American people have elected before.

From "fire and fury" to a relationship "as good as it's been in a long time". The summit is on, then it's off, now it's on again. The president, as witnessed by his impromptu 16 minute question-and-answer session with gathered reporters, is basking in the world's spotlight as he conducts these historic negotiations.

Passing legislation is hard. Coping with the Russia investigation is infuriating. Welcoming to the White House the "second most powerful man in North Korea", as Mr Trump called Kim Yong-chol, is comparatively easy.

Even as Mr Trump heralded the progress being made, he was downplaying expectations for the upcoming summit, which he said was never planned to end in some grand signing ceremony.

For the moment, it appears the Singapore meeting will be only a first step - a chance for a historic photo-op and a hope for breakthroughs to come.

For a president who many thought last year was barrelling toward war, however, that appears more than enough.

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