U.S. President Donald Trump. Yonhap News

U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized on the 20th (local time) that "today, the United States has become the hottest and most respected country anywhere in the world."

In a post on Truth Social, the social media platform he founded, on the day marking his six months in office for his second term, President Trump wrote, "A year ago, our country was a dying nation with little hope of recovery," before adding the aforementioned remark.

He assessed his own performance, stating, "This period (the first six months after taking office) is considered the most critical time for any president," and added, "We have achieved many good things and great accomplishments, including ending numerous wars between countries that were not connected to the U.S. through trade or, in some cases, friendly relations."

He further emphasized, "Six months is by no means a long time to completely revive a major country."

In another post on Truth Social, President Trump dismissed the 'Jeffrey Epstein scandal,' which has been described as causing division within the Republican Party, by claiming that his approval ratings among his base have actually risen.

He wrote, "My approval ratings within the Republican Party and among 'MAGA' (President Trump's ardent supporters) have soared significantly since the Epstein lies were exposed by radical-left Democrats and mere troublemakers."

He added, "In various polls, (my approval rating) has hit 90%, 92%, 93%, and 95%, all of which are (new) records for the Republican Party."

The scandal involves the 'client list for sexual services' allegedly created by Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire hedge fund manager who died while in custody in 2019, and it is currently a hot potato in the United States.

President Trump concluded by stating, "(In last year's presidential election) I received the highest number of votes," adding, "The people support strong borders and the many other things I have done."

Yonhap News