‘This is Real Life’: Blue Check Twitter Can’t Believe Trump Actually Called Kim Jong-un Rocket Man at UN

The nickname that President Donald Trump gave North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Twitter Sunday made it into his speech Tuesday before the United Nations General Assembly.

“Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” Trump said.

Blue check Twitter was taken aback by Trump’s use of the nickname during a formal address. Here’s a sampling of the reaction:

“Rocket man” made the TelePrompTer?!?!

— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) September 19, 2017

“Rocket man” turns up in UN speech. Cringe-worthy performance by Trump.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) September 19, 2017

Trump calls Kim Jung Un “Rocket Man” in a speech to the United Nations.

This is real life. pic.twitter.com/7J0y4RzgfY

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 19, 2017

.@POTUS inserts Rocket Man reference into speech, marking first time Elton John tune has been inserted into an UNGA address.

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) September 19, 2017

Was ‘Rocket Man’ really in his TelePrompter?! — “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself– and for his regime.”

— J.D. Durkin (@jiveDurkey) September 19, 2017

Yep, he said it: “Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime.”

— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) September 19, 2017

If I were a maniac leading an impoverished state with nuclear weapons, I would take it as a compliment to be called Rocket Man.

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) September 19, 2017

Trump called Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” again.
In front of the UN.

Fucking hell. pic.twitter.com/ID687bHtmH

— Holly O’Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) September 19, 2017

Trump usually has a real gift for the nicknames, but I would bet you Kim Jong Un likes being called “Rocket Man.”

— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) September 19, 2017

Rocket Man went from Twitter insult to formal UN address in two days.

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 19, 2017

They handed Trump a speech. He pompously crossed out Jong-un and wrote in Rocket Man and handed it back. “I fixed it.”

— Schooley (@Rschooley) September 19, 2017

Entire media room (full of international reporters) got a collective chuckle out of “ROCKET MAN”

— Sarah Westwood (@sarahcwestwood) September 19, 2017

So. “Rocket Man” will be a key takeaway. Was he ad-libbing, or did the WH staff go along with?

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) September 19, 2017

Trump has just mocked Kim Jong Un as “rocket man” in his UN speech. Trump disses – from tweets to actual major speeches. Sheesh.

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 19, 2017

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Joe DePaolo (@joe_depaolo) on Twitter

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