Seven weird things that have already happened at the Trump Kim summit

It was never going to be straightforward.

The historic meeting between US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un isn’t scheduled until Tuesday, but things have already been decidedly weird in the days leading up to their summit in Singapore.

The pair will meet on Sentosa Island and the world will be watching, but there is already enough bizarre happenings behind the scenes to keep people talking.

Here are seven of the weird things that have already happened at the Trump Kim summit:

1. KIM JONG-UN’S RUNNING GUARDS

There is no sight more breathtaking in world politics right now than the North Korean leader’s guards running alongside his bulletproof and fireproof limousine.

Clad in black with short haircuts, this elite team – trained in handgun usage and martial arts – have already stolen the show in Singapore.

Mr Kim has three different lines of bodyguards who surround him for his protection, meaning no one will be able to get too close to the North Korean leader.

Except, of course, Mr Trump.

2. THE NORTH KOREAN STATE BLACKOUT

The build-up to the on-again-off-again-on-again summit has been covered extensively by the media… apart from in one place in particular – North Korea.

On Monday, its state-run Korean Central News Agency finally reported that Kim Jong-un is in Singapore ahead of his summit with Mr Trump.

This brought an end to several weeks of silence about the summit, with state media only saying the two leaders were going to meet and not informing North Koreans of the time or location of the talks.

It didn’t even bring news of Mr Kim’s arrival in Singapore on Sunday, meaning North Koreans were largely in the dark about the momentous — and potentially life-changing — events taking place outside their isolated nation.

Before finally breaking the news on Monday about the summit, the top story in North Korea had been about a visit by Mr Kim to a seafood restaurant in Pyongyang.

3. “THAT MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO DICTATORS”

A Fox News host had to apologise after she referred to the historic summit as a “meeting between two dictators”.

Fox & Friends co-host Abby Huntsman made the on-air comment on Sunday over TV footage of Mr Trump arriving in Singapore on board Air Force One.

As he stepped off the plane, Ms Huntsman said: “Regardless of what happens in that meeting between the two dictators, what we are seeing right now, this is history.”

Ms Huntsman is the daughter of US ambassador to Russia and former Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman.

Later in the show, she apologised, saying: “I do want to point out that earlier, as you know sometimes on live TV sometimes you don’t always say things perfectly.

“I called both President Trump and Kim Jong-un a dictator. I did not mean that, my mistake, so I apologise for that.”

4. THE DECOY PLANES

Kim Jong-un took every security measure possible before his journey to Singapore.

He reportedly sent two decoy planes to the summit so he could arrive in a third aircraft.

Mr Kim arrived at Singapore’s Changi Airport on an Air China jet, but two other planes also made the journey to throw anyone interested in the North Korean leader’s movements off the scent.

One of the decoy planes was Mr Kim’s Soviet-era Ilyushin-62 aircraft, which has been nicknamed “Air Force Un”.

5. THE FORMER BASKETBALL STAR

Ex-NBA player Dennis Rodman, a controversial supporter of Mr Kim, has confirmed he is travelling to Singapore for the summit.

His agent, Darren Price, told CNN: “He is willing to offer his support for his friends, President Trump and Marshall Kim Jong-un.

The former basketball star also announced his intention to go to the summit on his Instagram page.

He wrote: “I will be flying to Singapore for the historical Summit. I’ll give whatever support is needed to my friends, President Trump and Marshall Kim Jong Un.”

He also praised Mr Trump, saying: “To all Americans and the rest of the world I’m honoured to call President Trump a friend.

“He’s one of the best negotiators of all time and I’m looking forward to him adding to his historic success at the Singapore Summit.”

Mr Rodman has travelled to North Korea in the past and become friends with Mr Kim, and also appeared on Mr Trump’s TV show, Celebrity Apprentice.

6. A NORTH KOREAN TRUMP TOWER

A leaked CIA report at the end of last month claimed that while North Korea may not give up its nuclear weapons, it would be open to an Americanisation of its culture.

This could include the opening of a burger franchise in Pyongyang.

There has also been talk of something a little bit more Trumpesque making its way to North Korea.

South Korean officials have raised the idea of building a Trump Tower in North Korea as an example of how economic investment is preferable to spending money on nuclear arms.

7. TOILET TROUBLE

It has been reported that Kim Jong-un has brought his own personal portable toilet to Singapore.

South Korean news website Chosun reported that he has taken the loo with him to avoid having his excrement examined.

It said the toilet was transported to Singapore to “deny determined sewer divers insights into the supreme leader’s stools”.

It was reported that Mr Kim takes the toilet with him when he travels.