President Donald Trump spoke to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, threatening to “totally destroy” North Korea to defend the United States and its allies if necessary — but that’s not the part of POTUS’ speech that has gone viral online.
No, the line Twitter users latched onto was Trump’s taunt at Kim Jong-un: “Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” Trump said of the North Korean leader. He has called Jong-un a “rocket man” before, but this time it was in the very formal and global view of the United Nations.
#RocketMan, also the name Elton John’s hit 1972 song, is now trending on Twitter. And reactions are mixed. Many say Trump’s nickname for the foreboding leader is “childish” and embarrassing for the United States. Trump supporters, however, seemed to love the taunt, and in turn made fun of liberals who criticized the comment. Then, of course, were the bipartisan memes simply making fun of the whole situation.
Naturally, there were some Elton John memes:
https://twitter.com/AnthonyEinzig/status/910165390940147712
#RocketMan, Burning out his fuse out here alone. pic.twitter.com/1l2HRDTecA
— Equal Representation or Defenestration (@NickHJohnston) September 19, 2017
#RocketMan is on a suicide mission. If necessary I will send in B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets! #UNGA
— Donald J. Drumpf (@RealDonalDrumpf) September 19, 2017
And there were plenty of photoshopped pictures involving the North Korean leader and various types of rockets. One user combined the Trump-golfball-Clinton meme with Jong-un:
https://twitter.com/Fuctupmind/status/910147683788214272
https://twitter.com/ManMountain78R3/status/910150145576124417
https://twitter.com/TheLeftIsRacist/status/910165742938619904
Several users criticized Trump for sounding childish:
The use of #RocketMan at #UNGA makes the United States of America look terrible & serves as more proof Trump is mentally unfit for the job.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) September 19, 2017
Using adolescent terms to describe another nation, no matter which one, makes the US appear childish & weak. Grow up Trumpsters #RocketMan
— Alt Fed Employee (@Alt_FedEmployee) September 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/joshua_ward/status/910146783757590530
Trump called Kim Jong un #RocketMan before the UN. It's bad enough that he embarrasses us with his childish antics on Twitter, now this. pic.twitter.com/IOrCjmCrup
— twoDR.INK (@twodrinkcomedy) September 19, 2017
And they were in turn criticized themselves:
https://twitter.com/SparkleSoup45/status/910158386695729152
@POTUS saying AND CALLING OUT #RocketMan to the entire world at the #UNGA… I LOVE IT!!! #ATTABOY @realDonaldTrump #MAGA
— jennifer (@rushbabetoo) September 19, 2017
Liberals when @realDonaldTrump call Kim #RocketMan and retweets a gif of him hitting Hillary with a golf ball pic.twitter.com/0PAkH1O216
— Matthew Floyd (@not_pinkfloyd) September 19, 2017