North Korea's leader has never visited the United States, and recent diplomatic outreach under President Trump centers on potential summits or talks in third countries rather than a U.S. trip. Kim Jong Un has conditioned any engagement on U.S. recognition of North Korea's nuclear status and policy shifts, while strengthening ties with Russia and China that reduce incentives for concessions. Scaled-back U.S.-South Korea exercises and positive signals from both sides reflect renewed interest in dialogue, yet no schedule, invitation, or preparatory steps point to a 2026 visit to Washington or elsewhere in the U.S. Historical patterns of summit locations and Pyongyang's emphasis on security guarantees further support trader consensus against the outcome, though an unexpected breakthrough in bilateral talks could still alter the timeline.