The Evening: Singapore Summit, G-7, Patrick Melrose and More

Good Evening,

It's Thursday, June 7th.

Note : The Evening will be gone fishin' until June 12

Kim Jong Un to America

President Trump today expressed an openness to inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the U.S. and even the White House, if summit negotiations go well, as CBS News reports.

And, as the New York Times’ Choe Sang-Hun reports, satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is razing some facilities used for testing one of its most dangerous missiles after its leader, Kim Jong-un, announced a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, according to an analysis released this week.

Plus, as the FT’s Demetri Sevastopulo and Shawn Donnan report Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged other U.S. officials to avoid escalating the trade dispute with China to a level that could jeopardize the historic June 12 summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

Dive Deeper : Listen to the latest episode “Swinging in the Dark: Eve of the June 12 Summit” of our new podcast, “The Impossible State,” featuring CSIS's Victor Cha, Sue Mi Terry and Mike Green on Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud. Or, you can read a transcript here.

“Will the US or China Rain on the North-South Parade?” by 38 North’s Andray Abrahamian.

On Trade and the G7

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations headed for a summit in Canada on Thursday more divided than at any time in the group’s 42-year history, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies risk causing a global trade war and deep diplomatic schisms, as Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, as the Washington Post reports, the Trump administration has agreed to relax its punishment of Chinese telecom company ZTE the U.S. announced today.

The Wall Street Journal’s Joshua Zumbrun and Vivian Salama report that U.S. trade is President Trump’s main focus at the G-7.

And the Journal also has the story of how the decision-making process inside the White House led to an abrupt turn toward tariffs.

Dive Deeper : Visit the CSIS-Hinrich Foundation joint initiative “Trade Vistas,” a micro website devoted to providing a fact-based context in which to understand the broader trade debate.

“Take Trump Seriously on Trade” by CFR’s Edward Alden.

“What to Expect at the G-7 Summit” by Brookings.

“CSIS Press Briefing on G7 Summit” with CSIS's Heather Conely, William Reinsch and Stephanie Segal.

Putin’s Phone Session

A fear of mutual destruction should stop global powers from attacking each other and prompting World War III, Russian President Vladimir Putin said duing his annual phone in session today, as CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt report.

Your Questions

Do you have any questions about trade and how a changing U.S. trade policy may affect your life? If you do, please email me your question(s) to aschwartz@csis.org . We’ll publish some of the best questions and get our experts to answer them on an upcoming CSIS podcast.

Enroll for Fall

Now enrolling for the Fall, CSIS & Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs offer a new Executive Master's in International Relations. Information here .

In That Number

$1 billion

Chinese telecom giant ZTE Corp. will pay a $1 billion fine to the U.S.
Source: WSJ

Critical Quote

"I don't think I have to prepare very much. It's about attitude."

— President Donald Trump on the Singapore Summit

iDeas Lab

A new CSIS podcast, The Impossible State, features an insiders discussion on the United States’ top national security priority—North Korea.​

Optics

(Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images). Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today with President Trump at the White House.

Recommended Reading

“China eyes role as world’s power supplier,” by the FT’s James Kynge and Lucy Hornby.

This Town Tomorrow

Join RAND Corporation at 2:00 p.m. for a conversation on the benefits and risks of data sharing, opportunities for protecting privacy at both the personal and industry level, current U.S. laws, how they compare to European laws, and considerations for Congress.

Video

Yesterday, CSIS hosted a book launch of Peace Works: America's Unifying Role in a Turbulent World . Ambassador and global conflict leader Rick Barton shared a mix of stories, history, and analysis on a transformative approach to foreign affairs and offered concrete and attainable solutions for the future. Watch the full conversation here.

Sounds

On the latest episode of The Impossible State, CSIS’s Victor Cha, Sue Mi Terry, and Mike Green discuss the upcoming June 12 Summit in Singapore, what Kim Jong Un has already gotten out of the meeting with Donald Trump, the maddening nature of negotiations with North Korea, and potential summit outcomes.

Listen on Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud.

Smiles

I’m enjoying the latest Showtime limited event series, “Patrick Melrose” staring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Hugo Weaving with cameos by Blythe Danner and Alison Williams among others. The show isn’t on the level of HBO’s “The Night Of” or “Big Little Lies,” but it’s memorable and features some extraordinary performances—especially by Cumberbatch.

I love how the show is using music, sparingly, but to powerful effect. Last week’s episode broke out the Bachman Turner Overdrive classic “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” I haven’t been able to get it out of my head.

I invite you to email me at aschwartz@csis.org and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz