Even Republicans think Trump's Biden insults have gone too far


North Korea's totalitarian leader is talking about 2020 presidential candidates, and President Trump is loving it.
Yes, for some reason, Kim Jong Un insulted Vice President Joe Biden last week, and Trump spun it as the dictator calling Biden a "low IQ individual" in a Saturday tweet. Trump has since gone on to say he "agrees" with Kim's Biden assessment, and it has members of Trump's own party convinced he's in the wrong.
Mirroring his Saturday tweet, Trump said in a Monday press conference that "Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low IQ individual" and that "I think I agree with him on that." Meanwhile, Trump called Kim a "smart man," prompting immediate blowback from Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). "You're taking a shot at Biden while praising a dictator. This is just plain wrong," Kinzinger, a veteran, tweeted Sunday. Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) repeated that sentiment on Tuesday.
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.
Also in his Saturday tweet, Trump said he wasn't concerned with North Korea's recent "small weapons" testing because he has "confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me." Biden, on the other hand, called Kim a "dictator" and a "tyrant" at a recent rally.
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
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
May 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons feature Donald Trump's tariffs, Big pharma, and cuts to Medicaid
-
Why men have a bigger carbon footprint than women
Under the Radar 'Male identity' behaviours behind 'gender gap' in emissions, say scientists
-
5 richly deserved political cartoons about tax breaks for billionaires
Cartoons Artists take on Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6
-
Trump DOJ charging House Democrat in ICE fracas
speed read Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault over a clash outside an immigration detention facility in Newark
-
Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
speed read The diagnosis hits close to home, as the former president 'dedicated much of his later career to cancer research'