Many have assumed that, ever since President Donald Trump took office, World War III would start because of Twitter. But at least we could take solace that the cruel mistresses of fate wouldn’t be so fickle as to allow a parody account to incite the conflict.
Now, we can’t be so sure.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is now following @DPRK_News. It’s a parody account, one that pretends to be reflecting the voice of the totalitarian nation, taken to its satirical extreme.
But there’s also no reference in the account bio to it being a parody.
Foreign Ministry awards multi-year contract to Fusion GPS, for various and assorted services of benefit to all mankind.
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) July 26, 2017
Marshal Kim Jong-Un lives exemplary life; has no need to muse in early morning hours about pardoning himself for high crimes and treasons. https://t.co/hoqeeLQH7E
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) July 22, 2017
It’s fooled numerous news organizations before—notably, the New York Times—and it tweets extremely unflattering things about President Trump.
Donald Trump admits United States is land of wanton rape and depravity against maidens.
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) July 26, 2017
DPRK girls are protected from US barbarians. pic.twitter.com/yQs5ULbdMt
United States under regime of Donald Trump is land of tortured and twisted eye brows. pic.twitter.com/4AaMBRm3FA
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) July 25, 2017
Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner is given charge of fabled Ark of the Covenant, long thought to be stolen or missing. pic.twitter.com/5dCJEQGToI
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) July 25, 2017
And now, Trump Jr. is following them.
The news, announced by @TrumpsAlert, is making everyone start to worry this will be the beginning of the end.
DonaldJTrumpJr has just followed @DPRK_News.
— Trump Alert (@TrumpsAlert) July 26, 2017
There’s no way that he’ll understand it’s a parody account.
— Ryan T. Brown 🎮🦋 (@Toadsanime) July 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/HereticalFacts/status/890195384412368896
https://twitter.com/Mattie_the_dog/status/890193140631707652
It appears he followed the account after seeing and liking one one of their tweets mocking Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).
It’s a pretty good tweet, to be fair.
Trump Jr. did not respond to a query about whether he knew the @DPRK_News account was fake.