Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to defend an unlikely target: Joe Biden.
The president is responding to North Korea calling the Democratic candidate a “rabid dog” who “must be beaten to death with a stick.”
Mr Trump says in a tweeted message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Mr Biden “may be Sleepy and Very Slow,” but says, “he is not a 'rabid dog”' and “is actually somewhat better than that.”
Still, Mr Trump adds he is “the only one” who can get Mr Kim “where you have to be,” and is urging Mr Kim to “act quickly, get the deal done.” He also hints at another meeting, writing: “See you soon!”
The tweet comes amid an impeachment investigation into Mr Trump's push for Ukraine to announce an investigation into Mr Biden and his son, Hunter.
North Korea's state media made the insults towards Mr Biden as it accused the former vice president of slandering Mr Kim.
The official KCNA news agency said Mr Biden was showing signs of "the final stage of dementia", and the "time has come for him to depart his life".
Misspelling Mr Biden's name, KCNA continued: "Rabid dogs like Baiden [sic] can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about. They must be beaten to death with a stick, before it is too late.”'
Agencies contributed to this report
