'Tiny Dancer mocks Rocket Man': Trump blasted for taunting North Korea's Kim Jong-un on Twitter

'His stupidity will get us all killed,' one Twitter user wrote.

US President Donald Trump referred to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as "Rocket Man" in a taunting tweet early Sunday morning (17 September) and Twitter furiously slammed him for it. Amid a flurry of retweets, Trump asserted in a post that North Korean citizens have been queuing up for petrol before the latest round of UN sanctions against Pyongyang hits supplies.

Trump wrote: "I spoke with President Moon [Jae-in] of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!"

The White House said that Trump and Moon discussed the hermit kingdom's recent alarming intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches in a call on Saturday and declared their commitment "to continuing to take steps to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities and to maximize economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea."

Trump's taunting tweet came after he retweeted a number of internet memes including a GIF of him taking a swing at a golf ball and knocking out his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Twitter, on the other hand, immediately blasted the president over his "childish" name-calling of the North Korean leader saying, "You really think taunting a hostile nuclear power on Twitter is a good idea!?"

"This is among the more shockingly depraved and callous comments a world leader has made about a vulnerable populous recently. #Shame", Lord of the Rings actor Sean Astin tweeted.

Adam Best wrote: "Rocket Man. Retweeting memes. Bragging about his value. Trump wants to be a third-world dictator but he's more like a third-grade dictator."

Many people also responded to Trump's comments with a slew of Elton John-themed comments, jokes and memes.

"Why did you ask the President of South Korea about Elton John?" one person tweeted. Another wrote: "Does that make Donald Trump 'Tiny Dancer'?"

"Sorry Trump, but Elton John is the only "Rocket Man" we acknowledge," one person chimed.

However, several people expressed serious concerns over Trump's latest slew of disturbing retweets and his mocking of the North Korean leader.

"I gather Kelly isn't with Trump today so we are seeing the real thing - which is incredibly disturbing and frightening for our country," Amy Siskind tweeted, referring to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.

I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2017

This is where we're at.
"Rocket Man"?
He's using his "Lying Ted"/"Little Marco" whiny name-calling on a global level.
We've elected a child. https://t.co/VFvmEOo64V
— Dan Slott (@DanSlott) September 17, 2017

Tiny Dancer Mocks Rocket Man https://t.co/Wbszz8e9RM
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) September 17, 2017

If Kim Jong-Un is "Rocket Man", then that must make you "Fire Cracker Man"!
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) September 17, 2017

I think itâ€™s meant to be read to the tune of â€œRocket Manâ€ though.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) September 17, 2017

Dennis Rodman is on the other line, mediating between Rocket Man and Fire and Fury.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) September 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/exR2bTep99
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) September 17, 2017

Rocket man?!? Seriously?!
— ×¨×•×¢×™ ×‘×¨×§ (@ronenbergen) September 17, 2017

I bet fart jokes are real show stopper for ya too! Or does the end of the world need to be on the line for u to laugh??
— patrick moote (@patmoote) September 17, 2017

Yea, let's mock him and hope he responds rationale. Mocking a guy with nuclear weapons is a great plan. ðŸ¤¦ðŸ¼â€â™‚ï¸
— Joe Vidulich (@JoeVidulich) September 17, 2017

So much for the "ceasefire"â€¦

Not a single tweet from Trump criticizing Putin for attacking US forces, but hey, Rocket Man! https://t.co/DommHzdHzW
— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) September 17, 2017

Had me humming Elton John's "Rocket Man" all day. https://t.co/9MF3M24Ekz
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 17, 2017

Giving nicknames to Kim Jong Un (Rocket Man) when there are MILLIONS of lives & WWIII at stake, should be impeachable. What's next?
— USMC-SM (@USMC_SSDD) September 17, 2017

If anyone has @eltonofficial's contact info please holler. I feel like I need to talk to him this morning. #RocketMan #AMJoy
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 17, 2017

ererere

I just want to president that doesn't provoke nuclear weapon wielding dictators. Is that too much to ask? pic.twitter.com/1xzHzQJjZl
— ðŸ¦…Mr. Me Too ðŸ‰ (@grime_optimus) September 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/O2CYuPmrCE
— Lilly dog (@Lillyyoga58) September 17, 2017

Due to Rocket Man tweet I learned the lyric is "burning out his fuse up here alone,"not "burnin onna heema-hemma-mo" as I thought.Thanks DT!
— Rachel Dratch (@TheRealDratch) September 17, 2017

You act as though you have the situation under control. In actuality North Korea is laughing at us all
— Impeach Donald Trump (@Impeach_D_Trump) September 17, 2017

I am doing great President Trump, thanks for checking in! Keep on rocking in the free world!! Let's party on Mars! Yours truly, Rocketman. pic.twitter.com/vDyxrwRNJA
— Harland Williams (@HarlandWilliams) September 17, 2017

Can't believe the National Security Advisor was asked and answered such a question. Where the hell are we????
— MommaLou (@WindaCulbertson) September 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/cDiRd0U4U2
— Dianna Hammond (@DiannaHammond90) September 17, 2017

Has Elton John sent a cease and desist letter for the President's use of Rocket Man yet?
— Sean Spicier (@sean_spicier) September 17, 2017

Wait! What?! Elton John is in North Korea?
— Matt Navarra âï¸ (@MattNavarra) September 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/5Oqf6PRZ7W
— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) September 17, 2017

Pretty chilled thanks Donald.. pic.twitter.com/C950sYbnsP
— Michael Smyth (@MichaelSmyth_) September 17, 2017

Well in a nutshell...our president is retweeting a Lana Del Ray bot, a meme bot with one attacking Clinton, and calling Jong-un "Rocket Man"
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) September 17, 2017