Donald Trump's Ego-Boosting Gift From South Korea Won't Help Him Beat The 'No Kings' Allegations

Donald Trump's October 29 trip to South Korea was the last stop on his tiny tour of Asia to meet with leaders and work on trade deals. Coming off the low note of embarrassing himself in Japan, Trump was most likely thrilled to be handed not one but two gold gifts from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. In what was most likely a strategic move to potentially help grease the wheels of some deal-making, Myung presented Trump with a gold medal in addition to, well, a literal crown.

They all know how to play him. It isn't difficult. https://t.co/i79khv9L9z

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 29, 2025

In the above video from X, formerly Twitter, Trump can be seen swaying, possibly impatiently, as the translator depicted the history and significance of the gift. Most likely, Trump's ego only heard the part where the translator stated the crown "is the largest and most extravagant" of the existing ones from the same era.

While the gift was a smart call on Myung's behalf, it might rankle those back home in the United States. There's been a growing movement calling out Trump's alleged desire to wield his authority in a way that bypasses the checks and balances the nation has relied upon. This behavior has given fuel to the "No Kings" protests, with the first one having taken place on Trump's under-attended June 14 military parade, and the second took place on October 18. Trump's response to the "No Kings" protest was a dismissive jab at crowd sizes, so receiving a crown during this tumult might just be a little on the nose for his detractors.

As President Donald Trump accepted the gift of a gold crown from Lee Jae Myung, many social media users were ready to point out the obvious. One X user hit the nail on the head by writing, "Sounds kingy." Another posted the tongue-in-cheek response, "That's His Royal Highness to you."

While the crown might be a bit obvious, there's a chance that it will end up as just more bling in the White House. Trump has been reworking the Oval Office to fill it with tacky gold; the ancient artifact is probably too classy to fit in with everything else, but at least it's real. Of course, part of the criticism Trump has received in regards to behaving like a tyrant is due in part to his redecorating. 

Trump has spent the government shutdown demolishing the East Wing of the White House after insisting that he wouldn't touch the building. These controversial renovations are proving former president Barack Obama to be correct when he joked back in 2011 that, should Trump win the presidency, he would turn the White House into Trump Tower. Although, with his new crown and a ballroom being built, it's beginning to feel more like a castle instead.