Trump's 'Rocket Man' Jab at Kim Jong-un Fails to Launch on Twitter

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.

Also Read: Trump Threatens to 'Totally Destroy North Korea' in First UN Address

Naturally, there were some Elton John memes:

#RocketMan… Starvin' out his people up there, alone… pic.twitter.com/wQiKqaquHe

— Styx Einzig (@AnthonyEinzig) September 19, 2017

#RocketMan, Burning out his fuse out here alone. pic.twitter.com/1l2HRDTecA

— Nick Johnston (@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

Also Read: Kimmel Mocks the Trumps' Latest Weird Hand Moment: 'Like a Robot From 'Westworld

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:

Did you say #RocketMan?

This is breaking footage! pic.twitter.com/jkSon12LH0

— NY TIMES SUCKS (@Fuctupmind) September 19, 2017

#RocketMan has been put on notice. pic.twitter.com/bC3lESKxX2

— Ivan Trumpovic (@ManMountain78R3) September 19, 2017

This is all I have to say:

????????#RocketMan????????
????????????????????????????#TuesdayThoughts ????#UnitedNations pic.twitter.com/NjHASpS9rk

— Defeat The Left???????? (@TheLeftIsRacist) September 19, 2017

Also Read: 'Rick and Morty' Creator Dan Harmon Tells Us Whether Evil Morty Was Inspired by Trump

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

OMFG! Did he just call Kim Jong Un #RocketMan I’m front of the #UnitedNations? ????????‍♂️ #TrumpUNSpeech

— Joshua Ward (@joshua_ward) September 19, 2017

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

— Give Him The Finger (@protestcards) September 19, 2017

Also Read: FBI Wiretapped Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort

And they were in turn criticized themselves:

???????????? EPIC first #UNGA speech @realDonaldTrump

Strength✔
Truth✔
Leadership ✔#RocketMan ????#Triggered libs watching like… pic.twitter.com/G0ATUgy1Yw

— SparkleMAGA???????? (@SparkleSoup45) September 19, 2017

@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 of the Floyd (@not_pinkfloyd) September 19, 2017

12 Times Merriam-Webster Dictionary's Twitter Trolled Trump Team - With English (Photos)

Donald Trump's penchant for Twitter rants, adjusted history and occasionally claiming to coin phrases has kept fact-checkers busy for months. But none are quite so expertly cheeky as those running the Twitter account for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Here are 12 instances of pitch-perfect corrections and insights for the Trump administration, straight from the dictionary.
Getty Images
12. A quick reminder on "hombre"
After Trump again dropped the phrase "bad hombres" during a presidential debate, the dictionary helpfully defined it -- just so everyone was clear he was talking about Mexican immigrants, and not something art-related.
Twitter
11. Trump calls Comey a showboat
Not everyone always knows what Trump is talking about. Merriam-Webster occasionally checks in on trending Trumpisms, since he tends to favor phrases that aren't exactly in vogue, and spell them out. In this case, after calling former FBI Director James Comey a "showboat," Merriam-Webster could have followed up with the definition of "ironic."
Twitter
10. Is he saying "bigly" or "big league?"
Merriam-Webster tried to clear up the confusion. He's saying "big league." You're confused because people don't really say that anymore. They did, though, occasionally -- 100 years ago.
Twitter
9. "Atrocity, basic"
When Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Comey was guilty of "basic atrocities," Merriam-Webster was there to fill people in on what atrocities meant. It also noted people apparently understood the "basic" part, although how the two words fit together remains unclear even now.
Twitter
8. White House counsel v. White House council
As former Attorney General Sally Yates was preparing to testify about former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn's ties to Russia, Trump headed to Twitter. About Yates, he said she should be asked under oath, "if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to the W.H. council." The tweet was deleted and then corrected, but not before Merriam-Webster's Twitter had a second to get a little upset with the president about botching his word choice.
Twitter
7. You're the "vanguard"
Merriam-Webster supported the Women's March following Trump's inauguration with a choice word of the day, coupled with a gif of transgender activist Sylvia Rivera.
Twitter
6. Here's what "complicit" means
White House adviser and Trump daughter Ivanka said in an interview she didn't know what the word "complicit" meant. "SNL" sure did when it dragged Ivanka for her big talk about women's rights and family protections while her father continues to roll them back. For anybody still confused, there's a dictionary on Twitter.
Twitter
5. What's the word for when you pay people to clap for you?
A Trump visit to the Central Intelligence Agency led to stories the president had cronies at the event to clap for him, while CIA agents remained silent. Did you know there's a word for those clappers? Merriam-Webster did.
Twitter
4. Trump did not invent "prime the pump"
Trump used the phrase "prime the pump" as a metaphor for tax policy in an interview, and then said he thought he'd invented the phrase. Merriam-Webster narrator voice: He hadn't.
Twitter
3. Not the Word of the Day
Merriam-Webster has dug up some obscure Trumpisms and verified them for the world. But those words can't be made up. Turns out, Trump's use of "unpresidented" on Twitter was, in fact, unprecedented.
Twitter
2. On varieties of "facts"
Merriam-Webster Twitter wasn't thrilled with Kellyanne Conway's assertion that things that are false might be considered "alternative facts."
Twitter
1. The word you're thinking of is...
The perfect English language troll of a president who specifically admitted to sexually assaulting women, on tape, because he was a star and no one stopped him.
Twitter
BONUS: "Laughing up one's sleeve" is actually a thing
Still going off about the investigation into his campaign and potential collusion with Russia, Trump tweeted the Russians were "laughing up their sleeves" about the situation. Lots of people had no idea what that meant and figured he'd invented it. Not so, Merriam-Webster confirmed. The dictionary might stick it to Trump when he uses English in awkward ways, but it's also fair to him on those occasions he doesn't.
Twitter

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The dictionary’s Trump administration fact-checking is hilariously shady

Donald Trump's penchant for Twitter rants, adjusted history and occasionally claiming to coin phrases has kept fact-checkers busy for months. But none are quite so expertly cheeky as those running the Twitter account for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Here are 12 instances of pitch-perfect corrections and insights for the Trump administration, straight from the dictionary.

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