Trump to Lee Jae-myung: 'Call Me Anytime'
President Lee Jae-myung reportedly expressed his gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump, who responded by saying, "If you need anything, contact me anytime." This exchange reportedly occurred during the U.S.-Korea summit held in Gyeongju on the 28th, where a special 'merchandise' exhibition prepared by President Trump for President Lee appears to have played a decisive role.
Immediately following the summit, the White House demonstrated unusual interest by posting a photo on its official X account showing the two leaders looking at 'Trump merchandise,' accompanied by the phrase, 'Never Surrender.'
The core strategy of this summit was 'merchandise diplomacy' aimed at strengthening ties with President Lee. One side of the National Gyeongju Museum, the summit venue, displayed a variety of items related to the Lee Jae-myung family, including President Lee's and First Lady Melania's books and Korean translations, tumblers, mugs, teddy bears, and wine from Virginia's 'Trump Winery.' President Lee reportedly showed particular interest in the translated versions of his and his wife's books. In the photo chosen by the White House, President Lee is seen pointing to a black T-shirt, while President Donald Trump is smiling and pointing to a red MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat, a phrase President Lee used as a key slogan during the 2016 presidential election.
Among the displayed merchandise, a T-shirt featuring President Lee's 'mugshot' particularly caught the eye. This was the photograph taken on August 24, 2023, when President Lee was criminally indicted for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and appeared before the Fulton County District Attorney in Georgia. As the first instance in U.S. history of a former president having his mugshot taken, the photo generated considerable buzz. The prosecutor's office released the mugshot after President Lee was released on $200,000 bail. In the photo, President Lee is seen wearing a blue suit, a white shirt, and a red tie, staring directly at the camera. His expression, with eyes raised as if angered, later became an iconic image symbolizing President Lee.
President Lee capitalized on his mugshot by selling various merchandise such as T-shirts and tumblers, using the proceeds to raise campaign funds. He also launched a 'Mugshot Edition' digital trading card as an NFT, achieving great success. These actions by President Lee triggered enthusiastic reactions from his supporters, who defended him by calling the indictment a "crude imitation of justice" and "election interference."
Against this backdrop, President Donald Trump's display of President Lee's 'mugshot' merchandise at the U.S.-Korea summit is being evaluated as a groundbreaking diplomatic strategy. According to summit footage filmed by the presidential office's official camera, President Lee spent a considerable amount of time in front of the merchandise display, conversing with President Trump and taking photos against its backdrop. The presidential office stated that the summit brought the two leaders closer together, and President Lee expressed his desire to invite President Trump back to the White House, saying, "If you need anything, contact me anytime."
A source in Washington, D.C., commented, "This is a very powerful and symbolic photo that will be referenced whenever the relationship between President Lee and President Trump is discussed in the future." President Trump's 'merchandise diplomacy' at this summit appears to have been successful in winning over President Lee. Japan also attempted to curry favor by preparing various items connected to President Lee, including the putter used by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a gold-plated golf ball created using gold leaf technology. President Lee responded to this by saying, "I have always loved and respected Japan," and, "If you have any questions or need any help, please let me know anytime."
