We’ve known for quite a while that President Donald J. Trump is often bluster but not much bite.

Though he bills himself as a “deal maker” who is capable of getting the near-impossible done, these claims rarely square up with reality. Don’t try telling that to his unwavering fan base, though. No matter what he says or does, he will be praised by the devoted millions who blindly follow the personality, not the policies.

As we learned on Thursday, the president is set to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “by May” at a time and place that is yet to be determined. Naturally, out in Trump Land, the masses went wild with anticipation at the prospect of the president negotiating some sort of peace.

But we shouldn’t expect progress of any kind.

As previously reported by my colleague Sarah Lee, the meeting is not a negotiation. It’s not a summit. It’s a talk. It’s a face-to-face with a man who has been the subject of the president’s recent social media ranting.

A man whose own policies starve, imprison, and kill his own people.

A man whose regime held American Otto Warmbier as prisoner, brutalized him, and left him a battered shell of a man who died shortly after returning home.

A man who flaunts his country’s nuclear arsenal and its ability to reach the United States homeland.

And we think that suddenly, Trump the Great will bring compromise and understanding? Don’t count on it. In fact, it’s worse than you think.

By agreeing to meet with Kim Jong Un, the United States is granting a sort of legitimacy and equal footing to him. Like it or not, the tentatively scheduled talk confirms that Kim is on the same stage as us. Instead of keeping him distant and demanding that he back down from threatening to use nuclear weapons, we’re inviting him to the table for a chat.

It’s all about optics, and Jong Un knows this.

North Korea has been seeking a summit with an American president for more than twenty years. It has literally been a top foreign policy goal of Pyongyang since Kim Jong Il invited Bill Clinton. (1/3)

— Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) March 9, 2018

PS: To be clear — we need to talk to North Korea. But Kim is not inviting Trump so that he can surrender North Korea's weapons. Kim is inviting Trump to demonstrate that his investment in nuclear and missile capabilities has forced the United States to treat him as an equal.

— Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) March 9, 2018

Just sitting in the same room as the president of the United States is a show of force. It’s for this very reason that nothing of substance will be accomplished. Beyond that, there could be some serious damage done.

Meanwhile, the excited individuals in their MAGA hats are glowing with pride. They’re ready to let the non-politician try something new for once. From their perspective, Trump is capable of anything. Specifics don’t matter.

To those who are aware of the gravity of the situation, there is much more at stake and just taking the meeting is questionable.

#NorthKoreaTalks would actually be harmful unless it is clear beforehand to them & world that 3 items are non-negotiable. We will not abandon #SouthKorea we will never accept #NorthKorea as legitimate nuke weapon power & missiles that can strike U.S. will not go unchallenged

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 9, 2018

Unfortunately, we’re dangerously close to handing North Korea a “win” just by our attendance at this meeting. There will be no agreement when the discussion ends, and both sides know that going into it. All that could be gained will have been established before President Trump opens his unprepared mouth.

I’m sure that this non-summit will already be praised by those who view Trump’s action in a positive light, no matter what occurs. It’s already being branded as “historic” as if its rarity alone qualifies it as a substantive step in the right direction.

After the talk concludes, keep an eye on “rocket man.” He’ll be standing a little taller.

Follow Kimberly Ross on Twitter: @southernkeeks.