USA Today, one of the most circulated newspapers in the U.S., fell for a Twitter parody account of North Korea in a December article announcing President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Rick Perry as secretary of energy.
The December 14 article, “Trump taps Rick Perry for Energy secretary,” said, “The Perry nomination also drew scorn from the nation of North Korea.”
USA Today White House reporter David Jackson wrote, “The Twitter feed of the nuclear-armed dictatorship said, ‘Donald Trump minister of nuclear weapons Richard Perry known as governor of Texas province, famed for its production of tacos and bumpkins.'”
The Twitter account they cited, DPRK News Service, is a parody account. While its biography says “Official News feed of Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea,” it is not representative of the North Korean nation and its tweets are clearly humorous.
USA Today issued a correction Thursday afternoon after the The Daily Caller reached out to the outlet.
See below more tweets from the Twitter account one of the nation’s largest newspapers thought credible enough to cite.
Ministry of Foreign Relations removes harmless idiot Dinesh D’Souza from visa ban list, after analysis. Film ban however, remains in place.
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) January 16, 2017
German fuhrer Angela Merkel stating Europe’s future and defense is in Europe’s own hands, praises Songun Idea of Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il.
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) January 16, 2017
Torn between two Leaders: Feeling like a fool.
Loving both of you is breaking all of the rules.You were the first real Leader I ever had. pic.twitter.com/ziIMWz7HRQ
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) January 13, 2017
Gentleman’s Street Fighting Club in Nampo shut down due to multiple health violations.
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) January 13, 2017
US San Diego Batteries football team flees Pacific coast for Los Angeles, in panicked attempt to escape “atomic fist” of Marshal Kim Jong-Un
— DPRK News Service (@DPRK_News) January 12, 2017