Critics Mock Donald Trump Suggesting 'Kim Jong Un Is Going To Be Jealous' Over His Tim Scott Comments

Donald Trump drew online mockery after declaring his affection for Senator Tim Scott at a South Carolina campaign rally on Wednesday night, 21 October, with one commenter invoking Kim Jong Un.

The remarks followed earlier comments about Ohio Senator Jon Husted's physique, including descriptions of his legs and backside.

Trump had also previously used affectionate language when recounting his exchanges with the North Korean leader.

'Kim Jong Un is going to be jealous,' one commenter wrote, connecting the president's praise for Scott with his earlier account of diplomatic correspondence.

Donald Trump's Praise for Tim Scott

At Clemson University's T. Ed Garrison Arena, Trump turned his attention to the Republican South Carolina senator while addressing the rally crowd. He prefaced his praise for Scott, 61, with a qualification about falling in love with another man.

'And then you have a certain senator that I happen to... as much as I can fall in love with a man, which isn't that much, I fall in love with him. And his name happens to be Tim Scott. And he's great.'

Online responses focused on the wording of the personal tribute. 'Appreciate the rare moments of LGBTQ allyship from Trump,' another commenter wrote.

Other comments speculated about the president's sexuality, including one predicting how he might behave after leaving office. Those assertions were not supported by evidence in the quoted responses. Trump's statement itself qualified how much he could fall in love with a man before praising Scott.

Why Critics Recalled Donald Trump's Kim Jong Un Remarks

The comparison referred to a September 2018 rally in West Virginia, where Trump described his correspondence with Kim in similarly affectionate terms. He framed the exchange of letters as part of a shift from the tougher approach he said he'd taken earlier.

'I was really being tough. And so was he. And we'd go back and forth. And then we fell in love, okay? No, really. He wrote me beautiful letters, and they're great letters. We fell in love.'

The phrase concerned what Trump described as a diplomatic breakthrough with the North Korean leader. The commenter's joke about jealousy brought that earlier declaration into the discussion of his praise for a fellow Republican at Wednesday's domestic campaign event.

Jon Husted's Physique Draws Donald Trump's Attention

Before the Scott appearance, Trump had repeatedly discussed Husted's physical build in public. He said former National Football League coach Jon Gruden told him about Husted's background as an All-American defensive back at the University of Dayton.

The 80-year-old president said he examined the senator's physique to assess that description of his athletic background. 'I looked at his a--, and then I looked at his legs,' he told audiences, describing Husted's backside as being 'like a pile of muscle.'

Trump then recalled tapping Husted on the shoulder. 'It actually hurt my hand. It was like a piece of steel.'

In February, Trump also recounted approaching a steel factory owner during a visit to Georgia. Trump described him as 'a very powerful, strong man' and claimed the owner told him, 'President, I'd love to kiss you.'