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Trump wanted to protect himself.
特朗普企图自保。
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，在总统办公室壁炉前的单人沙发上会见韩国大使、国家安保室长郑义溶时，
Trump made an unusual proposal.
特朗普提出了一个不同寻常的提议。
“Here’s an idea: how about you make the announcement,” Trump said, according to the officials.
据官员们透露，特朗普对郑义溶说：“不如这样：这个消息你们来宣布吧。”
It went against long-standing diplomatic protocol for an ally to speak on behalf of the U.S. President.
由盟友代表美国总统发言违反了美国长期以来的外交礼节。
But while White House aides helped draft a statement for Chung to read,
然而，就在白宫的助手们协助起草供郑宣读的声明时，
the jetlagged diplomat called his boss, South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
这位时差还未调整过来的外交官拨通了他的上司、韩国总统文在寅的电话。
And just after 7 p.m.—two hours after delivering the message from Kim—
晚上7点刚过——距离他传达完金正恩的消息才过去两小时——
Chung walked into the West Wing driveway and announced that Trump had agreed to meet the brutal dictator.
郑义溶便走上白宫西翼的车道，宣布特朗普已经同意与那位残暴的独裁者会面。
It was only the beginning of a diplomatic dance that would stun foreign policy experts.
然而，震惊外交政策专家的外交表演到此才刚刚开始。
Pompeo made two surprise trips to Pyongyang and brought back three freed American prisoners.
随后，蓬佩奥两次突访平壤，还带回了三名获释的美国囚犯。
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，当被问及该不该给他颁发诺贝尔和平奖时，特朗普回答说：“大家都这么认为的，但我自己绝不会这么说。”
It was clear that he was beginning to enjoy himself.
很明显，他又开始自得其乐了。
But it turned out that dealing with North Korea might not be so easy.
然而，事实证明，与朝鲜打交道可能并非易事。
Late one Wednesday night at the end of May,
五月底一个星期三的深夜，
Trump’s national-security team told him a North Korean official had called Pence a “political dummy” and threatened a nuclear “showdown.”
特朗普的国家安全团队告诉他，一名朝鲜官员称彭斯是“政治傀儡”，还威胁挑起核“较量”。
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，两周前总统派往新加坡敲定金特会细节的代表团被爽约了。
North Korea had gone radio-silent for more than a week.
接下来一周多时间，朝方的无线电一直静悄悄的。
It was starting to look like the summit would be a diplomatic and public relations disaster.
看起来，峰会即将成为一场外交灾难和公共关系灾难。
Trump decided to sleep on it.
特朗普决定先睡一觉再说。
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，在没有给出凭据的情况下，特朗普就接连发了两条推文，声称联邦调查局曾派间谍潜入他的竞选阵营，
Trump personally dictated a letter to Kim that announced he was canceling the summit.
特朗普亲自向金正恩宣读了一封信，宣布他准备取消峰会。
The letter, equal parts wistful and threatening, called Kim “His Excellency,”
他在信中用半是渴望，半是威胁的口吻称呼金为“阁下，”
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.
但他又尖锐地指出，美国总统不希望动用美国“大规模且威力巨大”的核武器来对付这个年轻的独裁者。
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，朝鲜二号人物金英哲也走进了总统形办公室，亲自向特朗普递交了一封便笺簿大小的信件。
The summit was back on.
峰会又重新启动了。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
