It is a known fact that President Trump went on a thirteen-day trip to Asia to meet with several leaders to talk about North Korea and trade. He traveled to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. While he has spoken about troubling matters, he avoided getting involved with human rights and democracy. The US president has been treated like a king everywhere he has gone, as it is known that if one with respect, he or she will behave like a polite guest.

Of course, it is also known that it does not take much for the statesmanlike conduct to fall away if provoked, considering the criticism he faces here in the US. It may just be that the other leaders in Asia are immaculate hosts, but there has been a strong sense during his trip that they have worked out not only how to avoid provoking him, but precisely how to disarm him- through flattery.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Donald Trump was his “favourite guy” to play golf with. South Korea’s President Moon told the US president he was “already making America great,” and at the National Assembly in Seoul he was introduced as “leader of the world.”

The satirical website The Onion jested that Trump would not be able to avoid a “bizarre, easily avoidable international incident.” Despite meaning it as a joke, it was close to what happened. North Korea has previously taunted the US president, calling him a dotard, and has done it again. The next day, Trump took to Twitter to criticize the “haters and fools” who questioned his attempts to improve relations with Russia and antagonized North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un by subtly calling him “short and fat,” then, hours later, said he hoped the two could be friends in the future. This raised questions, and was one of the few notable incidents on his trip.

ERHS student Cher Wang says that “it is a good start to making sure that we do not go to war with [North Korea].” She also thinks that “[the UN] is working hard and they are doing a good job.”

More preparations will be made, and there is the possibility that the discussions between world leaders will not work in preventing war. There is a lot that needs to be done, and what does happen will have a strong effect on the outcome.