Associated Press/Mark Schiefelbein
Former NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman gestures to photographers as he prepares to go through immigration at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.
The last time Dennis Rodman visited North Korea, he delighted the country's young ruler with a rendition of "Happy Birthday," suffered an angry meltdown on CNN while defending his trip, and spent time at a rehab facility after returning to the United States in rough shape.He probably hopes things will go more smoothly on his latest visit to North Korea, which started Tuesday. The trip extends Rodman's surprising relationship with 30-something North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who took power in 2011 but has yet to meet a more high-profile foreigner than the heavily tattooed former NBA bad boy.
Critics slammed Rodman over his past trips, saying he allowed himself to be a public relations tool for Pyongyang. He's likely to face similar accusations now: His visit comes amid international condemnation over North Korea's accelerating efforts to develop nuclear weapons and missiles, which poses one of the toughest foreign policy challenges for President Donald Trump.