President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un shook hands at the outset of their nuclear summit in Singapore on Tuesday, an extraordinary and historic moment following months of jockeying and belligerent rhetoric traded between the two leaders.
It marks the first time a U.S. president has ever met face-to-face with a leader of North Korea, a generational enemy which has frequently leveled nuclear threats against the U.S. and its allies.
The two men smiled warmly, and Trump patted Kim on the back as they walked to the site of their private meeting.
The Trump administration has stated its goal is full denuclearization in the Korean peninsula and has maintained it will continue to impose strict sanctions on North Korea until that occurs.
Critics have stated North Korea has already achieved a tremendous propaganda victory by having Kim on the same stage as Trump. North Korea has an abysmal human rights record and is one of the most repressive regimes in the world.
