Donald Trump, the former U.S. President and 2024 Republican nominee hopeful, has become the subject of online ridicule after inaccurately stating the population of North Korea during a campaign event in Hialeah, Florida on November 8. Praising North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump’s remarks sparked controversy when he claimed, “Kim Jong Un leads 1.4 billion people and there’s no doubt about who the boss is.” However, the actual population of North Korea stands at 25 million, leading to widespread criticism and mockery on social media platforms.
Trump’s statement, made in an attempt to laud Kim Jong Un’s leadership, garnered attention and disbelief from online users. Many pointed out the inaccuracy in his population figure, with Ron Shillman commenting, “The population of North Korea is 25 million.” Twitter user @HawaiiDeliah questioned Trump’s statement, saying, “Either he’s lying or a dolt.” Another user, @liberalgenxvet, humorously remarked, “What is he talking about? There are more people in Texas than in North Korea.”
Some users speculated that Trump might have confused North Korea with China, a country with a population of 1.4 billion. This confusion raised concerns among social media users, such as Scott Seymour, who expressed worry about Trump’s potential return to power. The incident also led to references about Trump’s ongoing civil fraud trial in New York, where he is accused of overvaluing business assets. LauraWalkerKC quipped, “Trump inflating North Korea like he’s trying to get a loan from Deutsche Bank.”
Despite the factual error, Trump’s admiration for Kim Jong Un’s leadership style was a cause for concern among critics. User @ordinary_guy criticized Trump’s admiration for “an authoritative style of government,” while another user, Tony, humorously quipped, “Make Arithmetic Great Again.”
It’s worth noting that during his presidency, Trump and Kim Jong Un had struck up a friendship despite the longstanding tension between North Korea and the United States. Journalist Maggie Haberman revealed that Trump and Kim maintained contact even after Trump left office, with letters exchanged between them being retrieved from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Newsweek reached out to Trump for comment regarding the controversy, but no response has been received at the time of reporting. The incident has added another layer of discussion to the already heated political atmosphere, as Trump’s statements continue to capture public attention and debate.
