(CNN) The now-canceled summit between the United States and North Korea pitted President Donald Trump against President Donald Trump.

On the one hand, Trump fashions himself as a historic figure -- someone able to do things no one else can (or even thinks about). A summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was, even as recently as six months ago, a totally outlandish proposition. Nuclear war -- or at least an escalation of tensions between America and North Korea seemed like the more likely outcome -- particularly after Kim referred to Trump as a "dotard" and Trump coined Kim's nickname, "Little Rocket Man."

From that seeming chaos and escalation came, somewhat suddenly, the idea of a summit. Once proposed -- a message carried to the White House by South Korea -- Trump leaped at the opportunity. This was history in the making, he told anyone who would ask. They said I couldn't do it, but I'm doing it!

Tweeted Trump in late April: "Funny how all of the Pundits that couldn't come close to making a deal on North Korea are now all over the place telling me how to make a deal!"

On the other hand, Trump has built his entire adult life on the concept of deal-making -- a critical piece of which is knowing when to walk away from a bad deal.

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