>> Announcer: THIS IS AN NBC
NEWS SPECIAL REPORT.
HERE'S LESTER HOLT.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
IT IS JUST AFTER 9:00 TUESDAY
EVENING IN VIETNAM.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS JUST LANDED
IN THIS CITY AFTER A LONG FLIGHT
FROM WASHINGTON.
HE IS HERE, OF COURSE, TO
CONDUCT A HIGH STAKES, HIGH
RISK, AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED
SECOND SUMMIT WITH NORTH KOREAN
LEADER.
MR. TRUMP DECLARED THERE'S NO
LONGER A NUCLEAR THREAT FROM
NORTH KOREA.
THE WORLD WILL BE WATCHING
CLOSELY TO SEE WHAT TRUMP WILL
BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING HIS
TWO DAYS ON THE GROUND HERE AND
WHAT PRICE HE IS WILLING TO PAY
TO GET IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE STAIRS HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT UP TO THE FRONT OF AIR
FORCE ONE.
WE EXPECT TO SEE THE PRESIDENT
MOMENTARILY.
NBC'S KELLY O'DONNELL IS
COVERING THE ARRIVAL THERE JUST
NORTH OF US AT THE AIRPORT.
TELL US WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND
WHAT THE PREPARATIONS AND WHAT
THE ARRIVAL IS GOING TO LOOK
LIKE.
>> Reporter: GOOD TO BE WITH
YOU, LESTER.
THIS WILL BE A SUMMIT OF
SECONDS.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A
SITTING U.S. PRESIDENT WILL MEET
WITH THE NORTH KOREAN LEADER AND
SECOND TIME PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
BEEN HERE.
AT THE AIRPORT WE EXPECT THE
U.S. AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM TO
MEET THE PRESIDENT.
THERE WILL BE SOME DIGNITARIES
FROM THE HOST COUNTRY OF VIETNAM
AND THE FIRST PHASE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TRIP WILL BE
ACKNOWLEDGING THE HOST COUNTRY
OF VIETNAM.
VIETNAM IS REALLY AN EXAMPLE FOR
WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
HOPES THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
NORTH KOREA COULD SOME DAY BE.
A COUNTRY WITH WHOM WE WERE ONCE
AT WAR AND NOW A RELATIONSHIP
AGAIN THAT EXISTS.
VIETNAM COMMUNISTS BUT
PROSPERITY HERE AND A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED
STATES AFTER A HALF CENTURY AGO
THERE WAS A PEAK OF WAR AND
CERTAINLY SO MUCH HOSTILITY
BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.
SO THE SETTING IS IMPORTANT IN
TELLING THE STORY OF THIS SECOND
SUMMIT.
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS YOU
MENTIONED, A VERY LONG JOURNEY.
SO BECAUSE IT IS EVENING HERE,
HE WILL BE GREETED FORMALLY AND
THEN WILL HAVE SOME DOWNTIME
BEFORE THE OFFICIAL FESTIVITIES
BEGIN.
LESTER?
>> THE RED CARPET LITERALLY
BEING ROLLED OUT AS WE SPEAK AS
THE VIETNAMESE COLOR GUARD TAKE
THEIR POSITION ALONG THE STAIRS
THERE.
I'M JOINED BY OUR CHIEF WHITE
HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, HALLIE
JACKSON.
IN DAYS PAST FOR A MEETING LIKE
THIS, THEY WOULD HAVE A THUMB
NAIL OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO
PRODUCE AT THE END.
IS THERE ANY SENSE OF AN AGENDA
OR GOALS THEY KNOW THEY'LL BE
ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH?
>> YES ON THE AGENDA.
TBD ON GOALS.
TYPICALLY YOU COME IN AT THE
HIGH LEVEL WITH THE PRESIDENT,
WITH THE NORTH KOREAN LEADER AND
IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY MOSTLY
BEEN WORKED OUT.
WHAT THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT.
WHAT THEY MIGHT AGREE ON.
IN THIS INSTANCE LIKE WHAT WE
SAW IN THE SINGAPORE SUMMIT,
THERE ARE BIG QUESTION MARKS
ABOUT THAT.
THE U.S. HAS A CLEAR AGENDA.
THEY WANT TO SEE NORTH KOREA
DENUCLEARIZE.
THEY WANT TO SEE KIM JONG-UN
TAKE STEPS TO DO THAT.
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY THAT
IS NOT HAPPENING.
EVEN AS WE SPEAK, THE NORTH
KOREANS ARE STILL WORKING TO
ADVANCE THEIR NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROGRAM.
THERE IS SOME SKEPTICISM THAT
THE PRESIDENT WILL COME OUT OF
THIS SECOND SUMMIT ACHIEVING
WHAT HE WANTS TO ACHIEVE.
WHAT COULD THE U.S. OFFER?
THERE ARE INCENTIVES AND CARROTS
THAT COULD BE ON THE TABLE AS IT
RELATES TO WHERE THE
NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT GO.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY SEE THE
OPENING OR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF
THE OPENING OF DIPLOMATIC
INTERESTS.
BASICALLY THE BARE BONES
DIPLOMATIC OUTPOSTS THAT WOULD
MARK A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE U.S. AND NORTH KOREA.
YOU COULD SEE EASING OF MINOR
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
YOU COULD SEE A PEACE
DECLARATION ON THE KOREAN
PENINSULA.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT END
UP COMING OUT OF THIS.
THERE COULD BE A SURPRISE.
AT THE LAST SUMMIT WE SAW THE
PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT ENDING
MILITARY EXERCISES WITH SOUTH
KOREA, SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT HIS
OWN PENTAGON OFF GUARD.
WHAT'S INTERESTING AS WE WATCH
FOR THE PRESIDENT TO COME OUT OF
AIR FORCE ONE, THEY ARE ROLLING
OUT A CARPET FOR HIM AS THEY DID
FOR KIM JONG-UN.
HE IS ON AN OFFICIAL STATE VISIT
HERE.
THERE'S A LEVEL OF POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE RELATED TO THAT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT GOING TO
HAVE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT
LEVEL OF FORMALITY.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A WAY FOR THE
VIETNAMESE TO SEE YOU'RE HERE
AND WE WELCOME YOU FORMALLY AND
SOME OF THE POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE BOTH LEADERS WANT
TO SAY.
>> KIM CAME TO TOWN IN A
DIFFERENT MANNER.
THAT ARMORED TRAIN THATTOOK HIM
ON A JOURNEY THROUGH CHINA AND
CROWDS CHEERING AS HE WAS
WELCOMED AT HIS HOTEL.
QUITE THE JOURNEY.
THERE ARE PICTURES OF HIM
EARLIER COMING OFF THAT SPECIAL
ARMORED TRAIN.
THEY'LL HAVE MORE TIME TOGETHER
BASED ON WHAT I SEE ON THE
SCHEDULE THAN WE SAW IN
SINGAPORE.
THIS IS A TWO-DAY VISIT.
>> WE HAVE JUST LEARNED JUST IN
THE LAST 12, 18 HOURS OR SO THAT
THEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE DINNER
TOMORROW NIGHT.
THE TWO OF THEM WILL SIT DOWN.
VERY SMALL GROUP.
THE LEADERS AND THEN TWO AIDES
ON EITHER SIDE AND THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS INFORMED US IT WILL BE
THE PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF
AND SECRETARY POMPEO WORKING ON
THESE NEGOTIATIONS EVER SINCE
THE LAST SUMMIT.
THAT IS GOING TO BE FASCINATING
TO SEE HOW THESE TWO DO.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE
CONFINES OF AN OFFICIAL FORMAL
DISCUSSION AS IT RELATES TO
NEGOTIATIONS.
THIS IS JUST DINNER.
WE KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP BACK
HOME DINES WITH FOLKS REGULARLY
AND BOUNCES IDEAS OFF OF THEM.
TO BE A FLY IN THAT ROOM IS
FASCINATING.
SECRETARY POMPEO HAS MET WITH
THE VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER
HERE ALREADY.
HE WAS TALKING WITH THE LEAD
NEGOTIATOR ON THE U.S. SIDE
MAKING THOSE FINAL PREPARATIONS.
POMPEO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS
SINCE THE LAST SUMMIT.
HE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN OCTOBER.
THE WHITE HOUSE SAID THINGS WENT
FLAT WITH THE NORTH KOREAN TALKS
IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AND PART
OF DECEMBER AND IN LATE DECEMBER
THE MOMENTUM PICKED UP.
YOU SAW THESE LETTERS SENT AND
RECEIVED BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND KIM AS THE TWO DEVELOPED
WHAT THE PRESIDENT CALLS A GREAT
RELATIONSHIP.
THAT HAS RAISED SOME SERIOUS
QUESTIONS CONSIDERING THE HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES THAT KIM
PERPETRATES IN NORTH KOREA.
>> WE RECALL FROM THAT LAST
MEETING THEY CAME OUT WITH A
LETTER STATING WE LIKE THE IDEA
OF DENUCLEARIZATION TO BE ON
THAT.
HERE'S THE PRESIDENT NOW AS HE
STANDS AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
OF AIR FORCE ONE AND GREETS THE
OFFICIAL CROWD THERE AT THE
AIRPORT.
HE IS TRAVELING WITHOUT THE
FIRST LADY ON THIS VISIT.
HE'LL HAVE DINNER -- I'M TRYING
TO DO THE TIME CHANGE CORRECTLY.
>> 24 HOURS BASICALLY FROM WHERE
WE ARE RIGHT NOW IF THAT HELPS.
>> AIR FORCE ONE MADE A COUPLE
FUELING STOPS ON THE WAY HERE.
ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT IT'S A LONG
AND EXHAUSTING JOURNEY AS WE CAN
ATTEST TO.
HE'LL GET A NIGHT SLEEP HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE AFTER 9:00 AT
NIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT GREETING SOME
FOLKS PROBABLY FROM THE U.S.
EMBASSY.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE THESE
JOURNEYS BEFORE.
HE DID THE SUMMIT IN SINGAPORE.
THIS WAS 20 HOURS FOR THE
PRESIDENT ON AIR FORCE ONE.
HE'S THERE WITH HIS AIDES.
HE'S THERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
PRESUMABLY WITH THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE TRAVELING WITH HIM ON THE
WHITE HOUSE SIDE INCLUDING SOME
OF THESE NEGOTIATORS AS HE
SPEAKS NOW WITH THE VIETNAMESE
LEADERS.
THIS IS A BIT MORE FORMAL THAN
YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE FOR AN
AIRPORT ARRIVAL ON THE TARMAC
HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE RED CARPET AND
COLOR GUARD AS YOU MENTIONED
THERE TO GREET PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT SCENE FOR KIM
JONG-UN.
HE SPENT 65 HOURS ON THAT SLOW
MOVING TRAIN THROUGH CHINA
BEFORE HOPPING INTO A CAR WHEN
HE REACHED THE VIETNAMESE
BORDER.
IT'S A SPECTACLE HERE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO
SEE IT.
SOUTH KOREAN MEDIA, JAPANESE
MEDIA, CONGREGATING AT CORNERS
WAITING FOR A GLIMPSE THEY COULD
GET OF THIS RECLUSIVE LEADER.
HE WENT OVER TO THE EMBASSY
WHERE HE'S BEEN FOR SEVERAL
HOURS.
>> PRESIDENT GREETING FOLKS AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS AS HE
ARRIVES HERE FOR THIS
ALL-IMPORTANT SUMMIT.
AGAIN, THE EXPECTATION IS HIGH.
HE'S TRIED TO TAMP DOWN
EXPECTATIONS SPEAKING THE OTHER
DAY SAYING IF THEY'RE NOT
TESTING, THAT'S A WIN.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TESTING THEIR
BALLISTIC MISSILES SINCE, I
BELIEVE, NOVEMBER OF 2017.
AS A NUCLEAR WEAPONS EXPERT
POINTED OUT TO ME, ONCE YOU'RE
FINISHED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
TEST.
THE U.S. DOESN'T TEST.
OTHER NUCLEAR ARMED COUNTRIES
DON'T TEST ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY
ASSUME THEY HAVE WORKING
HARDWARE.
WHAT INDICATION THAT IS OF THE
INTENT IS, OF COURSE, A BIG
QUESTION THAT HOVERS ALL OF US.
>> THERE IS A FEAR THERE WILL BE
DE FACTO RECOGNITION OF NORTH
KOREA AS A NUCLEAR POWER WHICH
NO ONE WANTS TO SEE AT THIS
POINT.
THE U.S. WILL TALK ABOUT THE
LACK OF MISSILE TESTS.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS AIDES
TELLING US THAT'S A WIN FOR
THEM.
IT COULD BE WORSE.
THAT'S THE ARGUMENT.
>> PRESIDENT LOOKS LIKE HE'S
GOING TO GO STRAIGHT INTO
PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE OFTEN
CALLED THE BEAST AND RIDE INTO
TOWN.
THIS IS NOT A STATE VISIT.
SOME POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE BUT
NOT --
>> NOT NEARLY WHAT YOU SAW FOR
KIM JONG-UN AND WHAT YOU WILL
SEE FOR THE NORTH KOREAN LEADER
IN VIETNAM.
HE'S STAYING PAST THE SUMMIT.
WE BELIEVE HE'LL STAY FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.
>> WE ALSO HAVE STANDING BY OUR
CHIEF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
CORRESPONDENT ANDREA MITCHELL IN
WASHINGTON.
ANDREA, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
AS YOU WATCH THESE TWO MEN COME
TOGETHER HERE?
WHAT IS THE PRESSURE THE
PRESIDENT IS UNDER RIGHT NOW.
>> THIS IS THE SCENE THAT THE
PRESIDENT CLEARLY WANTS IS THE
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE OF AN
ARRIVAL AT A SUMMIT, THE SECOND
SUMMIT, BUT THE PRESSURE REALLY
IS, ACCORDING TO INTELLIGENCE
OFFICIALS AND ALL OF THE EXPERTS
YOU AND I AND HALLIE TALK TO,
THAT THEY WILL GIVE AWAY TOO
MUCH.
THIS PRESIDENT, AS WE REMEMBER
IN SINGAPORE DECLARED THAT THE
NUCLEAR THREAT WAS OVER AND THAT
WAS NOT ACCURATE.
HE GAVE AWAY THE JOINT MILITARY
EXERCISES.
MATTIS CAUGHT UNAWARE BY THAT AT
THE TIME.
AT THIS STAGE WHEN HE SAYS AS
YOU WERE JUST POINTING OUT WITH
HALLIE, WHEN HE SAYS THAT I'M
HAPPY, WHICH HE TOLD THE
GOVERNORS ON SUNDAY NIGHT HERE
AT THEIR ANNUAL GATHERING, I'M
HAPPY THEY'RE NOT TESTING
ANYMORE.
THEY FINISHED THE JOB OF
TESTING.
THEY LOWERED THE THRESHOLD OF
WHAT IS AN ACCEPTABLE OUTCOME OF
THIS SUMMIT THAT NUCLEAR EXPERTS
AND HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY ARE VERY CONCERNED
INDEED.
WHAT HE MIGHT DO IN A ONE-ON-ONE
MEETING IS OF CONCERN AFTER WHAT
HAPPENED WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN.
SO IT IS SOMEWHAT ENCOURAGING
THAT MIKE POMPEO WILL BE THERE
AT THE DINNER AT THE SOCIAL
OCCASION AND POMPEO HAS BEEN THE
POINT PERSON ON ALL OF THESE
TALKS.
ON ONE TRIP DIDN'T GET TO SEE
KIM JONG-UN SO THE FACT IS THERE
HAS BEEN LOTS OF HICCUPS ALONG
THE WAY AND THERE'S A GREAT
WARINESS THAT THIS PRESIDENT
WOULD GIVE AWAY THE STORE.
>> ANDREA, THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE WRAP UP HERE, HALLIE,
WE SHOULD NOTE THE PRESIDENT
COMES HERE THE WORLD WILL BE
WATCHING HIM AND THE SUMMIT.
HE IS GOING TO HAVE AN EAR
COCKED TO WHAT'S GOING ON BACK
HOME WHEN HIS FORMER LAWYER,
MICHAEL COHEN, TESTIFIES BEFORE
CONGRESS.
>> YOU'RE WATCHING THAT SPLIT
SCREEN NOW.
HE JUST ARRIVED ON CAPITOL HILL
FOR THE FIRST OF THREE DAYS OF
TESTIMONY IN FRONT OF LAWMAKERS
PUBLICLY AND BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS.
COHEN IS THE PRESIDENT'S FORMER
ATTORNEY WHO IS NOW PROMISING
ACCORDING TO A SOURCE FAMILIAR
WITH WHAT COHEN WILL SAY TO
REVEAL WHAT HE DESCRIBES CRIMES
THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS COMMITTED.
MICHAEL COHEN HAS SERIOUS
CREDIBILITY QUESTIONS.
HE'S HEADED TO PRISON FOR LYING
TO THE FEDS ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES
RELATED TO HIS DEALINGS WITH THE
CAMPAIGN, WITH THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF.
BUT THIS IS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED.
THERE'S A LOT OF SENATORS, BOTH
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT, WHO
ARE EAGER TO HEAR WHAT MICHAEL
COHEN HAS TO SAY AND EVEN THOUGH
GIVEN THE TIME ZONE, THAT'S ALL
GOING TO BE HAPPENING WHILE THE
PRESIDENT IS PRESUMABLY
SLEEPING, I WOULDN'T BE
SURPRISED IF WE SAW A TWEET OR
TWO THIS WEEK.
>> FOR THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, A
SPLIT SCREEN MOMENT.
HALLIE, THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE HERE TO COVER THIS
SUMMIT OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS
AND COME BACK ON THE AIR
CERTAINLY AS EVENTS WARRANT.
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE LATEST NEWS
AND DEVELOPMENTS BY DOWNLOADING
OUR NBC NEWS APP.
AND I'LL BE BACK LATER WITH "NBC
NIGHTLY NEWS."
FOR NOW, I'M LESTER HOLT, NBC
NEWS.