Donald Trump Reportedly Sends Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ CD To Kim Jong Un
Donald Trump is sharing his love of Elton John with Kim Jong Un. The U.S. president made headlines last year after he referred to the North Korean leader as “Little Rocket Man” in speeches and on Twitter. Now, Korean media is reporting that Trump has sent a signed copy of Elton John’s CD featuring the 1972 song “Rocket Man” to Kim Jong Un, according to a report by Business Insider.
The musical gift will reportedly be hand delivered to Kim Jong Un by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during his travel to North Korea on Friday. The trip marks Pompeo’s third visit to the region to discuss agreements on denuclearization less than a month after Trump joined him to meet Kim Jong Un.
South Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo reported that Trump’s inspiration for the gift for Kim comes from a conversation he had with the North Korean leader during last month’s summit. A source told the outlet the president asked Kim Jong Un if he was familiar with the Elton John song that spawned his “nickname”for him.
“Trump then asked Kim if he knew the song and Kim said no,” the insider said.
Trump reportedly wrote a message on the CD and signed it, according to Chosun Ilbo.
Pompeo is giving Kim Jong Un a Trump-autographed copy of Elton John's "Rocket Man": report https://t.co/rKlXutfXCO pic.twitter.com/6UFSnGwFZI
— The Hill (@thehill) July 6, 2018
Elton John and Bernie Taupin penned “Rocket Man,” a song about loneliness and space travel, way back in 1971. After Trump coined his nickname using the song’s title, Taupin told The Wall Street Journal he was not happy about the mention.
“The context bothered me,” Taupin told Wall Street Journal earlier this year. “The thought that World War III could start over the use of my song title was disturbing. I also was uncomfortable that something of mine that was culturally iconic could be used in such a way.”
The “Rocket Man” songwriter went on to say he felt “powerless” over the situation, but added, “If the use of ‘Rocket Man’ results in peace, I will be very happy to take full credit for it.”
Taupin reveals the song was inspired by Ray Bradbury’s short story about a homesick astronaut, “The Rocket Man,” as well as a retelling of the story in another song titled “Rocket Man” by a band called Pearls Before Swine.
Trump first started using the famous song title in his speeches last year. At a rally in Alabama last September, Trump said of Kim John Un, “We can’t have madmen out there shooting rockets all over the place. This shouldn’t be handled now, but I’m gonna handle it because we have to handle it. ‘Little Rocket Man.'”
Trump later said his nickname for Kim Jong Un was intended to be a compliment.
You can listen to Elton John’s “Rocket Man” below.
