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Elton John says Trump’s ‘Little Rocket Man’ nickname for Kim Jong Un was ‘brilliant’

Elton John recently shared his thoughts on former President Donald Trump’s decision to call North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man,” a nickname derived from one of John’s iconic songs.

During an interview with Variety at the Toronto Film Festival, the “Tiny Dancer” singer found the nickname humorous. “I laughed, I thought it was brilliant,” John remarked. “I just thought, ‘Good on you, Donald.’ Donald has always been a fan of mine and has attended many of my concerts. I’ve always been friendly with him, and I appreciate his support. When he used that nickname, I found it hilarious—it really made me laugh.”

Back in 2017, Trump and Kim exchanged intense threats as North Korea ramped up its missile tests. Trump promised “fire and fury” against North Korea, calling Kim “Little Rocket Man.” In return, Kim questioned Trump’s mental stability and threatened to “tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.”

In 2019, the tense relationship between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un appeared to improve when Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet with a North Korean leader. Following their historic summit, Trump has characterized his relationship with Kim as amicable, despite their earlier exchanges of threats and insults. This diplomatic breakthrough marked a significant shift in their interactions, with Trump often referring to their connection as a friendly one in subsequent statements.

“I got along with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Remember I walked over […] the first person to ever walk over from this country,” former President Donald Trump remarked during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last week. He was referring to his unprecedented 2019 meeting with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korean territory, a moment he often highlights as a major diplomatic achievement during his time in office.

John also weighed in on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, telling Variety that he won’t use his stage to tell concertgoers who to vote for this fall.

“I don’t go on stage and tell people, ‘You must vote for the Republicans, or you must vote for the Democrats.’ It’s not my place to dictate how they should vote. They come to see me perform, and I’m incredibly grateful for that,” Elton John said. “What I meant by saying that last night is that, as Dick Cheney recently pointed out, America is in a very precarious situation. It’s a country I love deeply and have always admired, and I’m forever thankful because it has shaped who I am today.”

“I just want people to vote for things that are just, for issues that matter to individuals: the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not letting anyone else dictate who you should be,” Elton John continued. “And that extends all the way to the Supreme Court,” the “Your Song” singer emphasized, highlighting the importance of protecting personal freedoms and rights.