'I am the Jesus Christ of politics': Controversial world leaders in their own words
Donald Trump's tweets pale in comparison to some leaders' boasts of murder and corruption

Whenever Donald Trump launches into a Twitter tirade he is accused of being "unpresidential".
The word conjures an offence against stately Victorian decorum - but some of the rhetoric recently traded on the world stage suggests that the concept may be lost on some statesmen and women.
Trump's status as "leader of the free world" might put in him in the spotlight, but he is far from alone in the pantheon of world leaders unafraid to say what they're really thinking.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In fact, Trump's rhetoric pales in comparison to some leaders' boasts of corruption, oppression and even murder:
Style: Close-lipped former KGB man with a sense of humour so dry you might miss it entirely.
Most memorable quotes: "I am not a woman, so I don't have bad days."
"I find it hard to imagine that [Trump] ran to a hotel to meet with our girls 'of low social responsibility', although they are without question the best in the world."
Silvio Berlusconi
Style: Gaffe-prone Italian lothario with a penchant for ranking himself among the greats.
Most memorable quotes: "Mussolini never killed anyone, he just sent dissenters abroad for vacation."
"I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I sacrifice myself for everyone."
"Only Napoleon did more than I have done. But I am definitely taller."
"I'm leaving this sh**ty country, of which I'm sickened."
Rodrigo Duterte
Style: Tough-talking President of the Philippines, nicknamed The Punisher, whose unpredictable temper and aggressive rhetoric takes some beating.
Most memorable quotes:
"Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now, there is three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them."
"I hate corruption… I'm not claiming to be clean. I also stole a lot, but it's all used up."
Charles Taylor
Style: Guerilla turned politician who leaned into his warlord past and subsequently served as President of Liberia until 2003. Currently serving a 50-year sentence for war crimes at HMP Frankland in County Durham.
Most memorable quote: "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him." (1997 campaign slogan)
Ramzan Kadyrov
Style: Hardline Muslim ruler of Chechnya who has backed honour killings and urged men to stop their wives from using WhatsApp.
Most memorable quote: "Chechen society does not have this phenomenon called non-traditional sexual orientation."
Jose Mujica
Style: Plain-spoken former Uruguayan leader known as the 'pauper president' for his austere lifestyle.
Most memorable quote: [Allegedly on Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner] "This old hag is even worse than the cross-eyed man."
Mujica later denied that the comment, caught on microphone, was a reference to Kirchner.
Robert Mugabe
Style: The sole post-independence President of Zimbabwe, who was once applauded as a revolutionary but has since been reviled for his human rights abuses.
Most memorable quotes: "The only white man you can trust is a dead white man."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How the New World Screwworm is making a deadly comeback
The explainer The parasite is spreading quickly
-
A running list of all the celebrities Trump has pardoned
IN DEPTH Reality stars, rappers and disgraced politicians have received some of the high-profile pardons doled out by the president
-
US credit rating: what it is and why it matters
the explainer Credit rating agency Moody's downgraded the US last month
-
A running list of all the celebrities Trump has pardoned
IN DEPTH Reality stars, rappers and disgraced politicians have received some of the high-profile pardons doled out by the president
-
'The pattern is similar across America'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
'Russia's position is fragile'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
What's next for Elon Musk?
Today's Big Question The world's richest man has become 'disillusioned' with politics – but returning to his tech empire presents its own challenges
-
Trump's super-charged pardon push raises eyebrows and concerns
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Never shy about using his pardon ability for political leverage, Trump's spate of amnesty announcements suggests the White House is taking things to a new level
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies