In a video obtained by CNN, new footage (released from North Korean state media) shows President Donald Trump saluting a North Korean military general. The footage was taken from this week’s historic summit between both the president and North Korean leader (Kim Jong-un) in Singapore. In the video, it shows the United States president displaying respect to a North Korean top officer of the regime.

The president is facing major backlash, due to the fact that he saluted the North Korean officer. Returning a salute from an ally of America is common practice and military professionalism.

American leaders are not obliged to follow this rule, but it is considered a high honor and a form of respect.

According to a US official who spoke to CNN, the president was briefed on protocol prior to the meeting, and Trump was told not to salute military officers from other countries, especially countries who are considered enemies to America. The White House is backing Trump’s decision to break protocol, and said in a statement that the president was showing respect to Kim Jong-un and his military, and there was a “broader goal that day.”

In the video, President Trump goes to shake the hand of a North Korean general, who salutes the president instead of shaking Trump’s hand. Trump returns the salute, then shakes the general’s hand, while Kim Jong-un looked on.

The video was a 42-minute documentary that was broadcast in North Korea. The video captured footage of Kim Jong-un preparing for the summit, and showed the North Korean leader boarding a plane to Singapore. President Trump did not appear until 20 minutes in.

Did President Trump feed into North Korea’s propaganda?

Retired Rear Adm.

John Kirby (military and diplomatic analyst for CNN) commented on the salute, calling the actions of the president “striking.”

CNN wrote that John Kirby said of the salute's propaganda value, that he's "the commander in chief. He doesn't even salute his own generals. They salute him. That's the way it works. You don't certainly don't do it with leaders of foreign military and you most certainly don't do it with the leaders of foreign militaries of an adversary nation."

According to Politico, in 2012 Donald Trump attacked former President Obama for bowing to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Donald Trump took to Twitter stating, “do we still want a President who bows to Saudis and lets OPEC rip us off?”

However, there is a difference between former President Obama’s interaction and the interaction with Trump. Saudi Arabia is a strategic ally to the United States and has been since 2009. North Korea is not an American ally.

What was agreed during the summit?

The president assured the American people that the summit was successful, but many are still unsure. After the private meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un, ABC News reported that both leaders signed a joint agreement to denuclearize North Korea, and the United States pledged to end all military exercises in South Korea.
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