As President Trump flew to Hanoi this week, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders had a surprise announcement: Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would meet earlier than expected, at a dinner on the first evening. The late announcement led skeptics to describe the dinner as an attempt to overshadow Michael Cohen’s embarrassing testimony about his work for Trump. But the last-minute dinner also raised unexpected challenges. The two sides apparently struggled over the menu, with the White House pressing for simpler fare.
Even as a first-time novelist, I know this is called “foreshadowing.”
The dinner went well enough, according to reports, but during the meeting the next day, everything collapsed. Trump and Kim departed early, leaving behind a carefully prepared lunch of foie gras, snowfish and candied ginseng. Members of the U.S. delegation were seen grabbing burgers.
