How is Donald Trump preparing for the huge North Korea summit? He's not.
In five days' time, President Donald Trump will travel to Singapore to participate in history: He will become the first American president to meet with a sitting North Korean leader.
Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un is a massive moment -- not just in Trump's presidency but in the course of diplomacy for potentially decades to come. North Korea has been a rogue and aggressive presence on the Korean peninsula for decades, but its acquisition of nuclear weapons makes it a worldwide problem.
How is Trump preparing for this huge sit-down? He isn't.
"
I think I'm very well-prepared," Trump told reporters during a photo op with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.
"I don't think I have to prepare very much. It's about attitude."
It's about attitude. If you were looking for a perfect three-word summary of Trump's political life -- or, actually, just his plain old life -- that's about as close as you could come to nailing it.
Whether it's making a real estate deal, starring in a reality TV show, kicking off his presidential bid or actually being President, Trump's basic view is: "I've got this."
Trump has turned his belief in himself -- whether or not facts support that confidence -- into a life mantra.
"Develop your gut instincts and act on them," he tweeted in 2013. "You will have your biggest successes when you go with your gut--but be very smart & careful."
In 2014, he sounded a similar note: "Trust your instincts. They are there for a reason. Without instincts, you'll have a hard time getting to--and staying at--the top."
His 2016 presidential campaign was Trump's ultimate experiment in faking it until you make it. He eschewed policy briefings or any sort of traditional debate prep. As a result, there were moments during the campaign when it was clear that Trump had zero idea what he was talking about.
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