U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un projected optimism Wednesday as they opened high-stakes talks about curbing Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons, a problem that has bedeviled generations of leaders.
The second summit between Trump and Kim came against the backdrop of the American president's domestic troubles. As the leaders dined on steak and chocolate cake, Trump's former personal attorney was readying explosive congressional testimony claiming the president is a "conman" who lied abut his business interests with Russia.
The leaders' formal talks continue Thursday. Possible outcomes could include a peace declaration for the Korean War that the North could use to eventually push for the reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea, or sanctions relief that could allow Pyongyang to pursue lucrative economic projects with the South.
The two leaders were joined for dinner by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Kim Yong Chol, a former military spy chief and Kim's point man in negotiations, and North Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Ri Yong Ho. Interpreters for each side also attended. Anticipation for what could be accomplished at the summit ran high in Hanoi, and there were cheers and gasps as Trump's motorcade barrelled through this bustling city. Crowds three or four deep lined the streets and jockeyed to capture his procession with their mobile phones.
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