While overseas on a trip to Japan this past weekend, President Trump broke an unspoken rule of statesmanship and attacked his fellow Americans and political opponents while simultaneously praising a brutal dictator.
In a full-on bonkers tweet, Trump came to the defense of North Korea's Kim Jong Un while calling former Vice President Joe Biden a "low IQ individual."
After Americans on both sides of the aisle spoke out against Trump once again seeming to side with dictators over Americans, the President sent out another tweet defending himself:
Trump's explanation didn't hold water with almost anyone.
@realDonaldTrump I’ll take “things that never happened” for $500, Alex.— Zachary Elliott 🦺🌺 (@Zachary Elliott 🦺🌺) 1559080804.0
@thehill https://t.co/TODoEYormq— Hansen Hillmer (@Hansen Hillmer) 1559084191.0
It's hard not to see how North Korea is using Trump for its own gain, and how Trump is more than willing to go along with it to make a quick political point.
@realDonaldTrump Just going to go out on a limb and guess that the leader of North Korea did not just happen to cal… https://t.co/osi3uRYr3t— JustMe (@JustMe) 1559083573.0
@thehill https://t.co/CJrz0l5GEX— E. E. Wheelock (@E. E. Wheelock) 1559084795.0
@realDonaldTrump This is totally and utterly absurd and a prime example of gaslighting. Trump praised Kim Jong Un f… https://t.co/aXfREZMYeX— Eugene Gu, MD (@Eugene Gu, MD) 1559080937.0
Reading the President's tweets feels like browsing a child's diary.
@realDonaldTrump Dear Diary, 7th grade is so HARD! The kids said I was being mean just because I told them what I h… https://t.co/NjCtax6HlN— 🌻Vicki Pezzi 🌻 (@🌻Vicki Pezzi 🌻) 1559083897.0
@realDonaldTrump It’s remarkable how often I see an insane tweet, check to confirm it’s actually from the President… https://t.co/2OAJHSZtSC— claytonhauck ✨ (@claytonhauck ✨) 1559083897.0
Many people read the President's "explanation" as what it most likely was: a trolling tweet meant to mock his critics. Because to Trump, siding with a dictator while on foreign soil is a laughing matter.
@thehill https://t.co/vHPFD9EUA5— Tony (@Tony) 1559083370.0
Trump is an embarrassing unAmerican traitor! How dare he denounce and belittle VP Biden on foreign soil on Memorial… https://t.co/5xdmMB9nYk— Maxine Waters (@Maxine Waters) 1559087596.0
Prominent political figures, including many 2020 Presidential candidates, spoke out against Trump's words.
Pete Buttigieg: "Kim Jong Un is a murderous dictator and Vice President Biden served this country honorably." EARL… https://t.co/wtQGfwjNOE— The Hill (@The Hill) 1559061900.0
WATCH: Sen. Harris issues strong rebuke of Pres. Trump’s comments on fmr. VP Biden. “It is wrong. It is contrary t… https://t.co/BhSL24A423— MSNBC (@MSNBC) 1559097108.0
It wasn't just Democrats, however. Several Republican lawmakers also denounced Trump's statements.
It’s Memorial Day Weekend and you’re taking a shot at Biden while praising a dictator. This is just plain wrong. https://t.co/2ONOGEmy39— Adam Kinzinger (@Adam Kinzinger) 1558879194.0
Joe Biden's team waited until President Trump was back on American soil to respond to his insults.
Biden camp responds as Trump lands back in US: "The President’s comments are beneath the dignity of the office. To… https://t.co/hcIlZ8fD8a— Jim Acosta (@Jim Acosta) 1559066339.0
Biden camp responds as Trump lands back in US: "And it’s part of a pattern of embracing autocrats at the expense of… https://t.co/8dL0uk28ND— Jim Acosta (@Jim Acosta) 1559066374.0
Trump did many things on foreign soil — I was there — but defending Biden was not one of them. And his team chuckle… https://t.co/iMcgoSnaNE— Ashley Parker (@Ashley Parker) 1559081423.0
Trump shouldn't be calling ANYONE low IQ.
If I were @JoeBiden, I’d send Trump a hamberder and covfefe basket (I don’t think a fruit basket would be appreciat… https://t.co/yOSMBpx8S5— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@Ana Navarro-Cárdenas) 1559098686.0
All in all, it was a pretty "productive" trip abroad for the President.
While traveling in Japan, Trump sent 58 tweets including: - 20 Aggrandizing Himself; - 9 Pandering to the Military… https://t.co/3vUH8V6nvq— Translate Things (@Translate Things) 1559055740.0