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Trump wanted to protect himself.
特朗普企圖自保。
So as he sat with the South Korean envoy, national security adviser Chung Eui-yong, in the armchairs before the Oval Office fireplace,
于是，在總統辦公室壁爐前的單人沙發上會見韓國大使、國家安保室長鄭義溶時，
Trump made an unusual proposal.
特朗普提出了一個不同尋常的提議。
“Here’s an idea: how about you make the announcement,” Trump said, according to the officials.
據官員們透露，特朗普對鄭義溶說：“不如這樣：這個消息你們來宣布吧。”
It went against long-standing diplomatic protocol for an ally to speak on behalf of the U.S. President.
由盟友代表美國總統發言違反了美國長期以來的外交禮節。
But while White House aides helped draft a statement for Chung to read,
然而，就在白宮的助手們協助起草供鄭宣讀的聲明時，
the jetlagged diplomat called his boss, South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
這位時差還未調整過來的外交官撥通了他的上司、韓國總統文在寅的電話。
And just after 7 p.m.—two hours after delivering the message from Kim—
晚上7點剛過——距離他傳達完金正恩的消息才過去兩小時——
Chung walked into the West Wing driveway and announced that Trump had agreed to meet the brutal dictator.
鄭義溶便走上白宮西翼的車道，宣布特朗普已經同意與那位殘暴的獨裁者會面。
It was only the beginning of a diplomatic dance that would stun foreign policy experts.
然而，震驚外交政策專家的外交表演到此才剛剛開始。
Pompeo made two surprise trips to Pyongyang and brought back three freed American prisoners.
隨后，蓬佩奧兩次突訪平壤，還帶回了三名獲釋的美國囚犯。
Asked on May 9 if he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump replied, “Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it.”
5月9日，當被問及該不該給他頒發諾貝爾和平獎時，特朗普回答說：“大家都這么認為的，但我自己絕不會這么說。”
It was clear that he was beginning to enjoy himself.
很明顯，他又開始自得其樂了。
But it turned out that dealing with North Korea might not be so easy.
然而，事實證明，與朝鮮打交道可能并非易事。
Late one Wednesday night at the end of May,
五月底一個星期三的深夜，
Trump’s national-security team told him a North Korean official had called Pence a “political dummy” and threatened a nuclear “showdown.”
特朗普的國家安全團隊告訴他，一名朝鮮官員稱彭斯是“政治傀儡”，還威脅挑起核“較量”。
On top of that, the delegation the President had sent to Singapore two weeks earlier to hammer out the summit details had been stood up.
最重要的是，兩周前總統派往新加坡敲定金特會細節的代表團被爽約了。
North Korea had gone radio-silent for more than a week.
接下來一周多時間，朝方的無線電一直靜悄悄的。
It was starting to look like the summit would be a diplomatic and public relations disaster.
看起來，峰會即將成為一場外交災難和公共關系災難。
Trump decided to sleep on it.
特朗普決定先睡一覺再說。
The next morning, after firing of two tweets alleging without proof that the FBI had sent a spy to infiltrate his campaign,
次日上午，在沒有給出憑據的情況下，特朗普就接連發了兩條推文，聲稱聯邦調查局曾派間諜潛入他的競選陣營，
Trump personally dictated a letter to Kim that announced he was canceling the summit.
特朗普親自向金正恩宣讀了一封信，宣布他準備取消峰會。
The letter, equal parts wistful and threatening, called Kim “His Excellency,”
他在信中用半是渴望，半是威脅的口吻稱呼金為“閣下，”
but pointedly noted that the U.S. President was hoping not to have to use America’s “massive and powerful” nuclear capabilities against the young dictator.
但他又尖銳地指出，美國總統不希望動用美國“大規模且威力巨大”的核武器來對付這個年輕的獨裁者。
Just over a week later, North Korea’s No.2 official, Kim Yong Chol, walked into the Oval Office and personally presented Trump with a letter the size of a legal pad.
一周多后，朝鮮二號人物金英哲也走進了總統形辦公室，親自向特朗普遞交了一封便箋簿大小的信件。
The summit was back on.
峰會又重新啟動了。
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