South Korea's Lee Jae Myung narrowly avoided what he called a "Zelenskiy moment" after U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed him to Washington with right-wing conspiracy theories but then pulled off a high-stakes summit without unwanted drama.

President Lee Jae Myung's visit is expected to spotlight trade, alliance costs and North Korea as he seeks to set the tone with Trump's second-term White House.

President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had a friendly interaction before the cameras at the White House that was far different than Trump’s warnings against the new leader ear