Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy after posting a private diplomatic letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Truth Social. While the letter was intended to highlight trade concerns, it quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The two-page message, shared on July 7, warned of a looming 25% tariff on Japanese goods starting August 1, echoing similar threats sent to leaders in South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Serbia, Cambodia, and other nations. Though the tariffs were initially scheduled for July 9, they were temporarily postponed to allow time for potential negotiations.
But it wasn’t the trade threat that captured the internet’s attention—it was the letter’s glaring grammatical errors and erratic use of capital letters. Many said the letter read more like a rambling social media post than formal international correspondence.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) described it as a “pure clown show” filled with “threats, bad grammar, and zero diplomacy,” while another quipped that any middle school English teacher would have failed it on sight. Others compared it to a ransom note written by a “semi-literate kidnapper.”
Mockery poured in, with some suggesting the author had just discovered the word “tariff,” and others questioning the letter’s tone, professionalism, and even Trump’s mental fitness. Beyond the ridicule, some critics expressed concern over the damage such communication could do to America’s global image and long-standing diplomatic ties.
What was meant as a show of strength instead ignited a firestorm of criticism—once again raising questions about Trump’s approach to international relations and presidential decorum.