Kim Jong Un taunted Trump about North Korea’s nuclear arsenal during the Iran war, the same week reports of a piranha execution went viral

Kim Jong Un has stepped up his rhetoric this week, taunting President Trump about North Korea’s nuclear weapons while bizarre reports of a piranha-tank execution linked to the leader went viral. This comes as President Trump remains focused on the ongoing war with Iran.

Pointing directly to the U.S. president’s strikes in the Middle East, Kim vowed that North Korea would become a “nuclear power,” stating, “we now possess the power to pose a threat.” His message to Washington came in an address where he also justified his country’s nuclear ambitions.

At the same time, an old and unverified claim resurfaced online and spread widely this week. According to The Daily Beast, the story, which first appeared in 2019, alleges that Kim had a top general “slashed up” with knives and thrown into a tank of piranhas at his official residence for allegedly plotting a coup against him.

The piranha execution story lacks any real evidence and should be treated with serious skepticism

It is important to note that this report has no publicly available primary evidence behind it. There are no court records, verifiable witness accounts, or official statements to support that this killing actually took place. While North Korea does carry out executions, the specific claim of a piranha tank being used is not backed by any direct evidence in the public domain.

Kim said that his pursuit of nuclear weapons was justified by the “acts of terror and aggression that the United States is committing throughout the world.” This statement likely refers to Trump’s war on Iran, which began nearly a month ago, and the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro on January 3.

Trump has also been making headlines on other fronts during the Iran conflict, including a strange social media post mocking the UK Prime Minister on the same evening the two leaders spoke about the war. Kim declared, “Today’s reality clearly demonstrates the legitimacy of our nation’s strategic choice and decision to reject the enemies’ sweet talk and permanently secure our nuclear arsenal.”

This is not the first time the two leaders have made news together. Last month, Kim indicated that North Korea’s relationship with the U.S. could improve if Washington recognized it as a nuclear-armed state. He also said in September that he had “good memories” of President Trump, whom he last met in person in the Demilitarized Zone in 2019.

However, he made clear that another meeting would depend on whether the U.S. drops its demand for the country’s denuclearization. Analysts have pointed out that Trump’s policy shift toward North Korea’s nuclear status may have already handed Kim a significant strategic win. Their last major diplomatic meeting, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019, ended without any agreement.

Both leaders refused to reach a deal on nuclear disarmament and sanctions. Trump said at the time, “Sometimes you have to walk,” adding, “Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, but we couldn’t do that.” It now appears that both leaders are holding firm to their positions, with Kim using Trump’s military actions in Iran as further justification for keeping and growing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.