"North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times,'" Trump wrote on Twitter. "Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!"
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 3 января 2018 г.
Many of the reactions online voiced displeasure with the fact that a national leader is threatening another nation with nuclear weapons.
For example, Sen. Ed Markey said in a Twitter post that Trump’s statement "borders on presidential malpractice."
Imagine being a servicemember or the family of a servicemember stationed in Korea and reading this. This borders on presidential malpractice. https://t.co/rII95iu0Vm
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) 3 января 2018 г.
Many other users have made more or less similar remarks, expressing fear and worry about a hypothetical nuclear conflict.
Yeah who cares about the million or so of American people turned to dust in the process
— Morgan Cox (@morgancox_uk) 3 января 2018 г.
A thermonuclear war isn’t a joke. You don’t brag about “I have a button on my desk that can launch the world into a thermonuclear war!”
— Michael T. Murphy (@MurphyPolls) 3 января 2018 г.
The first blast at the North Korean will send we killed over a million people including 200,000 American in South Korea if you so eager to go to war with North Korea move your family to sold and monitor the word from there you insane###$….
— Sam Francis (@samfrancis52) 3 января 2018 г.
Everyone freaking out about Trump’s button tweet should probably take a second to consider this is what most US foreign policy looks like to people in the countries we’re bombing.
— New Year, Same Me (@StuffyOldMoney) 3 января 2018 г.
This madman is still the single most powerful person on the planet, with the ability to order the destruction of the world in just over four minutes. https://t.co/XIKB23NKQM
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) 3 января 2018 г.
There have also been suggestions that such statements by the POTUS indicate he cannot call Kim’s bluff.
POTUS is so easily baited! KJU plays him like a pair of bongos and #Trump takes the bait every time! Shameful that America’s president is unhinged and cannot resist his compulsion to attack and have the last word. Grow up for crying out loud Mr. 45!
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) 3 января 2018 г.
However, some Trump supporters stood in defense of the President’s rhetoric towards Kim, saying such an approach is exactly what the US needs to deal with North Korea.
America has a lot more nukes than North Korea! Little Rocket Man needs to get that through his head
— Jacob Wohl (@JacobAWohl) 3 января 2018 г.
It's not a joke. It's a warning. This is WAY better than @BarackObama who sat back and was quiet while these weapons were developed. Trump is doing a MUCH better on sanctions too. Pressure on, finally.
— Cotic (@Cotic) 3 января 2018 г.
Breaking: North Korea to open dialogue with South Korea for the first time since 2013
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) 3 января 2018 г.
Obama never accomplished what this one tweet did
Let that sink in
In their turn, some suggested that Trump’s tweet may be a violation of Twitter’s rules, which prohibit threats of violence.
did you know uploading beatles music videos is against twitter rules but threatening nuclear war is not???
— Ziwe (@ziwe) 3 января 2018 г.
Twitter, get on with the big button on your desk and nuke Donald Trump from the @Twitter
— K. (@spicymelange) 3 января 2018 г.
A lot of users simply trolled the president.
are you kidding. Arguing about the size of a button on your desk. Are you 5 years old
— Christine Volpe-Zack (@VolpeZack) 3 января 2018 г.
Breaking: Numerous exes have confirmed that there's no need to worry because Trump has no idea where to find the button
— Gav (@miracleofsound) 3 января 2018 г.
The button we know about on the President's Desk summons a valet with a Diet Coke, but doesn't launch a nuclear missile. pic.twitter.com/DuAdC0knmY
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) 3 января 2018 г.
the button probably just looks bigger by comparison pic.twitter.com/M58GF1DJgh
— social media pants (@nick_pants) 3 января 2018 г.
How 2018 has been so far…
— Taylor R. Jordan (@BeandipJordan29) 3 января 2018 г.
1)Logan Paul films dead body in suicide forest for a YouTube vid
2)Trump gets into twitter fight with Kim Jong-un about his nuclear button and how big it is
3)Trump wants to host a fake news and media awards
It’s only been 2 days! 2019 where u at???
Finally, there would not be a complete picture without unambiguous Freudian remarks.
You all know that the nukes could possibly destroy the whole planet? And I don’t want to get killed by a bomb because this man needs to show off his Phallus issues and personality crisis
— selavie (@selselcancan) 3 января 2018 г.
Button Envy: At least Trump warned him. #RocketMan pic.twitter.com/TtWAB1Ldm1
— thebradfordfile (@thebradfordfile) 3 января 2018 г.
Holy shit how fragile is your ego???
— Harrison Glassey (@stayglassey) 3 января 2018 г.
Trump was commenting on an earlier remark by Kim, who in his New Year address called on his country to accelerate the development of its nuclear arsenal and issued a warning to Washington, saying, "The nuclear button is always on my desk. This is not blackmail but reality."
