North Korea Releases Footage of Trump Saluting NK General

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Summary: North Korea released footage of President Donald Trump saluting a NK general. 

North Korea state media released a video of President Donald Trump saluting one of their generals. The footage has received backlash from critics who said that he should not show deference to the oppressive military regime, according to CNN.

  

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On June 12, Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un in Singapore for the first-ever summit between the two men. After the meeting, Trump said that the US would end joint military exercises with South Korea and would pull troops from the area. In turn, North Korea vaguely promised to get rid of its nuclear weapons.

The announcement from Trump was met with speculation because Kim often goes back on his word. But the release of the salute has raised even more concerns that Trump is paying too much respect to the hostile regime.

“In the military, returning a salute from a military officer of a friendly foreign nation is common practice for US military officers and considered a display of military professionalism. There is no rule that a US president is obliged to return a salute, which is considered a sign of mutual respect,” CNN said. “…A US official told CNN that Trump was briefed on protocol, which is to not salute military officers from other countries. The White House, however, is not viewing Trump saluting a North Korean general as a mistake. It is being seen as all part of the broader goal that day, which was to show respect to Kim and his entourage, according to the official.”

In the released footage, Kim watches as Trump salutes North Korean general No Kwang Chol before shaking shakes.

Trump frequently salutes US military personnel, but pundits state that it is uncommon for presidents to salute foreign military. Although many view the Trump salute as a gaffe, they warn that North Korea is using the footage as propaganda for Kim, who has previously taunted the United States and is seeking world legitimacy.

“If someone salutes you, your instinct is (probably) to return that salute,” Matt Lewis, a conservative columnist for The Daily Beast wrote on Twitter. “This is to say Trump wasn’t being malicious; he was being played. This is now N.K. propaganda — the result of an unprepared president.”

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What do you think of Trump’s salute to the North Korean general? Let us know in the comments below.