South Korea Gifts Trump A Literal Crown Amid 'No Kings' Protests

US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during a high honor presentation ceremony, where Trump was presented with a replica of a crown worn by the kings of Silla, at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju on October 29, 2025. During a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung gifted the US leader with a literal crown, while lauding his commitment to peacemaking.The foot-tall crown is a replica of a precious South Korean relic that was unearthed from royal tombs in Gyeongju in the 1970s.While Trump didn’t signal an interest in wearing the headpiece, according to The New York Times, the gift notably comes as the president’s crackdown on immigrants and deployment of troops have been the subject of “No Kings” protests in both the US and Korea. Lee also bestowed Trump with the “Grand Order of Mugunghwa,” South Korea’s highest civil honour, and an accompanying necklace.“It’s as beautiful as it can possibly be,” Trump said of the honour, which has never previously been awarded to a US president. “I’d like to wear it right now.” South Korea’s gesture followed a similar set of actions by Japan, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi graced Trump with a series of golf gifts and signalled that she intends to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this week. These blatant efforts to play to Trump’s ego come as both countries have finalized trade deals with the US and underscore how world leaders have sought to engage the president as they seek favorable terms. “South Korea is the latest country to shower Trump with gifts, as global leaders use a combination of flattery and pageantry to cater to a president who has displayed a willingness to torpedo long-standing alliances,” The Washington Post reported. Trump noted Wednesday that South Korea had agreed to pay $350 billion to the US in exchange for tariffs to be lowered. He added that he’d granted the country permission to build a nuclear-powered submarine. “A great trip, with a great President of South Korea!” Trump touted. Trump and Japan’s leaders had also previously announced a similar deal that included a $550 billion investment in the US. This week, they inked another deal on the supply of critical minerals while heralding a “golden age” in bilateral relations.South Korea and Japan’s approaches point to the strategies that countries are employing to gain Trump’s support in order to avoid policies like steeper tariffs. Their methods echo those used by a number of world leaders who’ve capitalized on pomp and circumstance, praise and gifts in a bid to connect with the president. “Foreign leaders are eager for a positive relationship with President Trump and to participate in the booming Trump economy,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, previously told NPR. Their actions, however, also coincide with ongoing tensions with the administration over issues like the treatment of South Korean workers during a raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia. “Nothing is forever. You can go from [Trump’s] nice list to the naughty list and back with some alacrity,” Justin Logan, director of defence and foreign policy studies at the CATO Institute, told NPR. “That’s the really unnerving thing. So I think the lesson here will be, keep larding on the praise, even if it doesn’t feel so great.”Related...Donald Trump Insists Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Is Holding Despite Clear Evidence To The ContraryTrump Administration Brings Back A Confederate Statue In DC'It's Pretty Clear': Trump Gives Surprise Update On 2028 'Third Term' Talk

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