Trump Receives Gold Crown in South Korea
In Gyeongju, South Korea, President Trump was presented with an impressive gold crown by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who spoke of a new “golden era” for national unity.
Alongside the crown, Trump was also awarded the Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s highest distinction, featuring a substantial medal on a gold chain. “It’s absolutely beautiful…I want to wear it right now,” Trump remarked to the host, noting that the honor recognized his efforts to foster relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
A Korean interpreter informed Trump that the elaborate crown was a replica of the most extravagant of the six remaining crowns from the Silla Dynasty, which reigned from 57 BC until 935 AD, centered in Gyeongju and controlling much of Korea during its peak.
“It symbolizes the spirit of Silla, the first to establish peace on the Korean peninsula, and signals the start of a new golden age for the Korea-US alliance,” said Lee.
Interestingly, Trump didn’t express interest in wearing the crown himself; however, this event followed closely after significant “No King” protests organized by the Democratic Party, which reportedly gathered around 7 million people across major U.S. cities on October 18th. Responding to the protests, Trump had shared a meme depicting himself crowned and humorously attacking protestors from a fighter jet.
During further bilateral discussions, President Lee reiterated his appreciation for Trump’s outreach to Kim Jong Un, with Trump announcing plans for a meeting later in the week. Lee mentioned that “Chairman Kim isn’t very open to your goodwill and actions; that’s why it didn’t happen this time, but I think we’ve planted seeds for a better future.”
Lee also pointed out that “technically speaking, there is a war going on on the Korean Peninsula,” and indicated that South Korea would bolster its military spending. He expressed hope that Trump would refrain from signing a deal to provide nuclear fuel for nuclear submarines.
In response, Trump acknowledged the war status, stating, “We know we are officially at war, but we will examine what we can do to improve the situation.”
