Dennis Rodman gave North Korea's sports minister Trump's 'Art of the Deal'

When Dennis Rodman returned to North Korea this week, traveling on the dime of a cryptocurrency for weed, he apparently came bearing gifts.

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The Hall of Fame forward might not be visiting North Korea at the behest of President Donald Trump, but Rodman did bring some word from the president with him, according to CNN:

 

Rodman, who landed in Pyongyang Tuesday, was photographed presenting North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il Guk with a copy of Trump’s book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal.”

 

The NBA Hall of Famer is perhaps the only person in the world who has personal relationships with both the US President — he participated on Trump’s pre-presidency reality TV show, “The Celebrity Apprentice” — and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. […]

 

A US national security spokesman, Michael Anton, told CNN Rodman was not acting as a representative of the US government or President Donald Trump and stated that he does not believe the President has spoken to Rodman since he entered office.

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This is at least the fifth time Rodman has traveled to North Korea, according to Agence France-Presse. In his last trip, in 2014, he was filmed (and later roundly criticized for) singing “Happy Birthday” to Kim Jong Un, his “friend for life.”

According to Anna Fifield of the Washington Post, Rodman has yet to meet with Un during his trip, but has “instead been seen visiting the birthplace of “eternal president” Kim Il Sung — a regular stop on the North Korea tourist trail — and with the women’s basketball team.”

 

On Thursday, he gave presents for Kim to North Korea’s minister of sports: two autographed basketball jerseys, soap sets, a mermaid jigsaw and two books — “Where’s Waldo?” and “The Art of the Deal.”

 

The puzzle and the “Where’s Waldo?” book are likely for Kim’s daughter — Rodman held her when she was a baby during a previous visit. The Trump book was certainly for Kim himself.

 

This may be a cheeky gesture on Rodman’s part.

Imagine that.

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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!

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