THEY ARE GOING CRAZY, AS USUAL – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:   The president has left the G7 early and is on his way to Singapore, to confront the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, aka Rocket Man.

But many in the European and American press are going nuts.  How dare the president not stay at the G7 to hear all about climate change.  Is the man not with it, not hip?  Has he no respect for the Georgetown party circuit?  What have we elected?  A man who thinks for himself?  It's a dark day for the dry cleaners who polish the stripes in the diplomats' pants.

Tranquilizers have been given out at the G7, where Mr. Trump got a cool reception because he had the nerve to understand that he represents the United States.  So crude.

Christiane Amanpour was positively beside herself last night, ridiculing the president for stirring up disagreement with our allies.  Why, she exclaimed, they aren't even enemies.  They're allies!  Isn't it our place to genuflect before our European betters?  Why, they speak foreign languages!  And Ms. Amanpour, Christiane of Tehran, smugly ridiculed Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.  After all, the Iranians are abiding by it.  Yes, Christy, they are...because it's a one-sided deal in their favor.  Get that, Ms. British accent? 

The Singapore conference will be one of the most important foreign meetings an American president will have had in years.  It's all business.  All negotiations.  Mr. Trump said today that he will know within two minutes if the conference has a chance at success.  He isn't bragging.  A skilled negotiator knows how to read his opponent.  The president is making it clear he expects progress, and will outline what that progress must be.  His example will be Ronald Reagan, who walked away from an arms control deal with the Soviet Union because it wasn't good enough. 

There are some in the Democratic Party who are probably wishing that the president will fail.  Most Americans wish him success.

We do.

June 9, 2018