The real reason Trump walked away from Kim Jong Un

Why did President Trump walk away from Kim Jong Un? Because Trump is challenging the North Korean leader to overrule domestic forces that are skeptical about reaching a grand bargain with America.

Of course, Trump couldn’t say this openly. Instead, as he left Vietnam on Thursday, the president suggested that his decision to leave the summit early was motivated by a more basic concern: Kim’s unrealistic demands for total sanctions relief, and his prevarication on nuclear disarmament. Yes, those issues are real U.S. concerns, but they’re ultimately only concerns in their reflection of the broader North Korean obstacle to a deal: the current negotiating philosophy of the North Korean inner circle.