Trump calls Kim Jong-un a 'madman'

Washington Post Reporter Introduces Trump Era Insults in Upcoming Book
Little Rocket Man, Sick Puppy, Madman VS Senile Old Man, Old War Madman

[Asia Economy International Desk Reporter] Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly referred to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un as a "lunatic" during his tenure.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

U.S. media outlet Business Insider reported on the 18th (local time) that this content is included in the upcoming book "Peril" by Washington Post deputy editor Bob Woodward and reporter Robert Costa.

According to the book, former President Trump often felt comfortable enough to vent harsh words to Keith Kellogg, a retired general who followed him, and one day Kim Jong-un became the target of his anger.

During a meeting with Kellogg, Trump reportedly said about his relationship with Kim, "I am dealing with a damn lunatic." However, the book does not specify the exact timing of when Trump made this remark.

Kellogg served as White House National Security Council (NSC) chief of staff and later became National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Mike Pence in April 2018, maintaining the position until the Trump administration ended in January this year.

Before the North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore in June 2018, the two sides exchanged verbal attacks.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to North Korea's continued nuclear and missile tests, former President Trump threatened "fire and fury" and mocked Kim Jong-un by calling him "little rocket man" in September 2017 and "a sick puppy" in November, a term meaning a mentally ill person. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election period, he also referred to Kim as a "maniac" and "madman."

North Korea, in a statement personally announced by Kim Jong-un in September 2017, criticized Trump as a "dotard," meaning a senile old man. In November, they called him an "old war maniac" and "old war merchant."

However, after North Korea-U.S. denuclearization talks began in earnest in 2018, the two developed a close relationship by exchanging at least 27 personal letters, nicknamed "love letters."

Kim Jong-un even sent a public message wishing for Trump's recovery when news broke on October 3 last year that Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 during the U.S. presidential election campaign.

Despite their personal "chemistry," the two sides ultimately failed to reach an agreement due to differences over North Korea's denuclearization and the lifting of sanctions. Moreover, denuclearization talks remained deadlocked until the end of the Trump administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.