Top 10 countries in Trump’s tweets in his 1st-year presidency

World
Europe

Twitter has revolutionized how people keep their friends and family apprised of daily minutiae, but 2017 took the social media platform to new cultural heights as US President Donald Trump used it to keep us (hilariously and horrifyingly) updated on his thoughts when it came to his country's foreign policy.

Trump's Twitter screenshot.

Trump has garnered tremendous media and public controversy due to the seemingly unscripted nature in which he comments on international incidents.

The Americans themselves are especially incensed, according to a poll released by the Economist and YouGov. It shows that only 26 percent of 1,500 participants think Trump has appropriately used Twitter, while 59 percent disagree. Fifteen percent are unsure.

According to the Trump Twitter Archive, a website that monitors the president's Twitter activity, Trump has tweeted more than 2,500 messages since the day he was sworn in.

Trump argues that social media has allowed him to send unfiltered messages to the public without going through media, which he often refers to as "fake news."

Trump's Twitter screenshot.

Here are the top 10 countries Trump has mentioned on Twitter this year that may have fueled international spats.

Russia (100)

After Trump’s former senior national security official Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying about his involvement with Russia, there has been speculation regarding Russia's involvement in Trump’s election campaign.

As the Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues the investigation into 2018, Trump has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Trump's Twitter screenshot.

In contrast to mainstream US political convention, Trump sees Russia President Vladimir Putin as a great ally in dealing with the DPRK, Syria, Ukraine and terrorism.

The DPRK (60) & the ROK (16)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea have been meeting about the DPRK’s participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next month and moving towards holding a vice military-level talk in the near future.

Many countries think this development is a positive sign and can possibly give relief to the tension on the Korean Peninsula over the DPRK's nuclear missile program.

Meanwhile, Trump took credit for the recent talks.

In another turn of events, Trump has eased off on the DPRK as the talks proceed. However, he has commented on his relationship with DPRK’s leader Kim Jong Un.

China (43)

Trump has been attacking China on unfair trade policy and was “disappointed” in how the country resolved the nuclear tension on the Korean Peninsula.

China’s foreign minister spokesperson said on Dec. 29 that China always strictly implements UN resolutions and will severely punish violations of Security Council mandate.

Iran (24)

Trump had mentioned scrapping the Iran nuclear deal that had been reached by his predecessor Barack Obama and other countries, but he eventually announced that he will abstain from doing so for now. However, he has imposed new sanctions on 14 Iranian individuals and entities, among them Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, head of Iran's judiciary.

In a statement on Jan.13, Iran's Foreign Ministry said the new sanction imposed on individuals, including Larijani, "has gone way beyond all internationally accepted behavior red lines."

Japan (18)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Mar-a-Lago in February 2017 right after Trump took office, and Trump paid a visit to Japan last November.

With the DPRK’s missile launches and escalating tension on the Korean Peninsula, the US has been conducting joint military drills in the region.

Mexico (17)

Since his campaign trail, Trump has pledged to go tough on illegal immigrants, proposing to build a border wall to keep them out.

Mexico reiterated that it will “under no circumstances” fund the wall, stating that it is “a principle of national sovereignty and dignity." It argues that the US shares responsibility for the drug war.

Syria (15)

Iraqi and Syrian leaders both declared they had defeated ISIL in their two countries in late November 2017.

ISIL had been fighting desperately to keep hold of the cities Mosul and Raqqa to achieve their ambitions of building a Caliphate based on the two urban centers, roughly the size of Great Britain.

After securing the advancement, Trump sought to prevent an “ISIL 2.0” in the region.

France (14)

Trump visited France in July 2017 with the First Lady Melania Trump. He congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron on winning the election in May and mostly tweeted about the terrorist threat in France.

Israel (11)

Trump escalated decades-old tension by announcing the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, sparking international condemnation as well as spurring thousands in Palestine to take to the streets in protest.

Trump's Twitter screenshot.

Trump has postponed the decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, though the United Nations have voted to condemn his decision to recognize the city as the capital of Israel, despite American threats to pull out of the international body.