Embrace and Praise of Authoritarian Leaders: Admiration for Kim Jong Un, Putin, Xi Jinping, Erdogan, Duterte, and Orban, and Authoritarian Self-Identification
Tier 3Ongoing2016-01-01 to 2026-04-09
Factual Summary
Throughout his political career, Donald Trump has publicly and repeatedly praised authoritarian leaders who have been documented by international human rights organizations as responsible for political repression, extrajudicial killings, suppression of press freedom, and the elimination of democratic opposition. Trump's praise has extended beyond diplomatic courtesy to express personal admiration for the manner in which these leaders exercise unchecked power over their populations.
Regarding North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Trump stated: "He speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same." This remark was made during a June 15, 2018, interview on the White House lawn with Fox News. When pressed, Trump said he was "kidding" and claimed sarcasm, but the statement was consistent with a pattern of similar remarks. At various points, Trump described Kim as "a very talented man" who "loves his country very much" and said he and Kim "fell in love" after exchanging letters. North Korea under Kim Jong Un is one of the most repressive states on earth, with an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners held in labor camps, according to the United Nations.
Trump repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him "very smart" and describing him as a stronger leader than President Obama. After Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Trump described Putin's strategy as "genius" and "very savvy." Trump had previously been criticized for equating American conduct with Putin's authoritarian rule. When Fox News host Bill O'Reilly stated that Putin "is a killer," Trump responded: "There are a lot of killers. You think our country is so innocent?"
Trump praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating: "I like President Xi a lot. I consider him a friend." He complimented Xi's consolidation of power, including Xi's move to eliminate presidential term limits, saying: "He's now president for life. President for life. And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll give that a shot someday." Trump later characterized this comment as a joke, but it was consistent with his broader pattern of admiring permanent executive authority.
Trump introduced Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a friend and praised him despite Erdogan's crackdown on press freedom, imprisonment of journalists, and purges of the judiciary and civil service following the 2016 coup attempt. In May 2017, Trump invited Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the White House during what was described as a "very friendly" phone call. Duterte's extrajudicial drug war had killed thousands of Filipinos without trial, drawing condemnation from international human rights organizations. Trump praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as "one of the most respected men" and "a great leader," despite Orban's documented erosion of judicial independence, press freedom, and democratic institutions in Hungary.
At a December 2023 town hall hosted by Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump was asked whether he would be a dictator if elected. Trump responded: "No, no, no, other than day one." He continued: "I want to close the border, and I want to drill, drill, drill." While the remark was made in a conversational context and Trump framed it around specific policy goals, the willingness to adopt the label "dictator," even conditionally, was without precedent for a major-party presidential candidate or former president.
In May 2024, at a Bronx rally, Trump praised Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping together, stating they were "at the top of their game."
Primary Sources
1. Trump interview on Fox News White House lawn regarding Kim Jong Un, June 15, 2018 (video)
2. Trump statement on Putin's Ukraine invasion as "genius" and "very savvy," February 2022
3. Trump remarks on Xi Jinping's elimination of term limits: "Maybe we'll give that a shot someday"
4. Trump-Hannity town hall, Fox News, December 2023: "dictator on day one" exchange
5. Trump Bronx rally, May 24, 2024, praising Putin, Kim, and Xi
Corroborating Sources
1. CNN: "15 times Donald Trump praised authoritarian rulers," July 2, 2019
2. CBS News: "Trump says he wants 'my people' to sit at attention for him like people do for Kim Jong Un," June 15, 2018
3. Washington Post: "Trump praises Kim's authoritarian rule, says 'I want my people to do the same,'" June 15, 2018
4. NPR: "6 Strongmen Trump Has Praised, And The Conflicts It Presents," May 2, 2017
5. ABC News: "Trump's latest praise for strongmen includes Rodrigo Duterte, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un"
6. Slate: "Trump loves dictators like Putin and Xi. But he's deluded about them," January 2025
Counterarguments and Context
Trump and his supporters have argued that diplomatic engagement with adversaries, including personal flattery, is a legitimate tool of statecraft and that establishing rapport with authoritarian leaders can produce concrete results, such as the diplomatic opening with North Korea. Defenders characterize Trump's praise as strategic rather than sincere admiration for authoritarianism and note that prior presidents, including Obama, engaged diplomatically with autocratic leaders. Trump's campaign stated that the "dictator on day one" comment was made in jest and referred to specific executive actions on border security and energy policy, not a genuine desire for dictatorial power. Supporters argued that Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy, which prioritizes personal relationships and deal-making, required building rapport with leaders regardless of their domestic governance. Critics responded that the pattern of praise goes well beyond diplomatic necessity, that Trump has consistently expressed admiration for the specific quality of unchecked authority rather than for any particular policy outcome, that the "I want my people to do the same" comment revealed an attraction to obedience-based governance, and that no prior American president has voluntarily adopted the label "dictator" even in jest. Historians of authoritarianism, including Ruth Ben-Ghiat of New York University, have argued that praise for authoritarian leaders normalizes autocratic governance and signals to domestic audiences that democratic constraints are obstacles to be envied rather than principles to be defended.
Author's Note
This entry is classified as Tier 3 because every statement documented here was made on the record in broadcast interviews, at public rallies, or on social media. The quotes are preserved in video and audio recordings and are not disputed by Trump or his representatives, who have in several cases characterized the remarks as jokes or diplomatic strategy rather than denying they were made. This entry documents the pattern of rhetoric as a category of behavior and is classified under "Incitement, Endorsement, and Encouragement of Violence" because the leaders praised have been documented as responsible for political violence, extrajudicial killings, and systematic repression.