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.
Here's look at Rodman's previous visits to North Korea:
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Rodman is a rare individual who can claim friendships with both Kim and Trump.
Rodman worked with Trump as a cast member on "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2009 and again in 2013.
He traveled to North Korea for the first time in February 2013 with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by VICE television.
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Since then, Rodman has traveled to the country four times, according to his publicist.
During Rodman's first trip, he and Kim sat side by side at an exhibition game in Pyongyang.
Kim is known to be a basketball enthusiast, and he and Rodman chatted as they watched players from North Korea and the United States play on mixed teams. Rodman later addressed Kim before a crowd of thousands, telling him, "You have a friend for life," a VICE spokesman said then.
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