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Just nine months after President Donald Trump threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea and labelled Kim Jong-un 'little rocket man', the two leaders have met at a summit in Singapore. 

Donald Trump has hailed the one-day meeting a success, touting a statement signed by the two leaders as evidence of "historic" progress. The statement included a pledge to work together more closely and reaffirmed the vague pledge of support for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula reached between South Korean president Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un. 

More tangible outcomes of the summit were the reciprocal invitations for both leaders to visit the other's country (which Kim Jong-un has reportedly accepted), and the US decision to cancel 'war games' with South Korea. Trump labelled the joint military exercises with South Korea "provocative" and "tremendously expensive", but was unclear on whether this extended to regular training exercises. The cancellation came as a surprise to his South Korean allies. The president hinted further that he may draw back US troops from the Korean peninsula altogether. USSC research fellow Brendan Thomas-Noone penned an article for The Australian about what such a withdrawal could entail.