(I know, because I do the same thing)
Kim wants legitimacy before his people. Trump wants an excuse to take severe action. The military can use that action to counter china. There are hundreds of issues at play here.
I have been in the business of negotiating business deals for most of my life – usually M&A in the low range. And trump’s method of negotiation is very transparent to me.
You just let everyone play their hand, and say anything that encourages people to take further exposure, then wait for opportunity to make use of that information, while suggesting that you’ll accept possibilities different from your central objective.
This makes it extremely hard for the opposition to rally and counter you, and ensures you have the maximum information at your disposal. This works when many people are fighting for your business, money, or approval.
And it means you do not have to pay them off or make a lot of puts in order to get the best deal. Moreover by giving them hope, and then drawing it out or letting them fail, they are weakened with their constituencies.
Most presidents and politicians do this under pretense. He just does it openly. Because the worst that happens is he gets to leave the white house which is a bit like slumming for him.
Meanwhile his base is more dedicated than any president in modern history.
He governs as does a king rather than the postmodern priesthood that’s been common since Johnson. And I am still not sure it’s a bad thing.