Dr. YoungHoon Kim, a man known for having the highest recorded IQ in the world—reportedly 276—has shared his thoughts on U.S. President Donald Trump after Trump authorized military strikes on Iran. This happened on Saturday, June 21, when the U.S. launched attacks on three nuclear-related sites in Iran. Trump called the mission a success and warned that if Iran retaliates, the U.S. would respond with even more powerful force.
Trump, who is 79, has faced criticism from many people for this decision, including some of his usual supporters like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon. They voiced concerns that his actions could push the U.S. into another war in the Middle East. Amid all this, Dr. Kim, a South Korean scholar with an extraordinarily high IQ—almost three times the average—publicly supported Trump.
Over the weekend, Dr. Kim posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), writing that he stands with President Trump. He identified himself in the post as the holder of the world’s highest IQ and made it clear that he backs Trump’s decisions.
Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, who is 19, responded to Dr. Kim’s post by thanking him and calling him a genius. Dr. Kim replied with a red heart emoji, showing appreciation.
However, not everyone was impressed by Dr. Kim’s support. Many people online were quick to criticize him, arguing that having a high IQ doesn’t automatically mean someone is wise, compassionate, or good at judging complex situations like military conflict.
One person commented that an IQ test doesn’t measure kindness, humility, or decision-making in war. They compared Dr. Kim’s post to someone with a high IQ simply saying, “My favorite color is red”—meaning it doesn’t prove anything important. Another person sarcastically noted that it seems strange for someone considered one of the smartest people alive to support someone they called “the dumbest man on the planet.”
Experts have also pointed out that IQ tests don’t tell the whole story when it comes to intelligence. For example, research from Yale and comments from academics like Keith Stanovich and David Perkins suggest that IQ tests measure only certain mental skills, like logic and pattern recognition. But they don’t show how well someone can think critically, make sound decisions, or show emotional intelligence. As one Harvard expert put it, having a high IQ is like being tall in basketball—it helps, but there’s a lot more involved in being truly great.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to defend his actions. On his social media platform, Truth Social, he warned Iran in bold capital letters that any attack on the U.S. would be met with far more force than what had already been used.
The situation comes amid growing tensions between Israel and Iran. Earlier this month, Israel claimed it had intelligence showing Iran was close to developing nuclear weapons. In response, Israel launched an attack called “Operation Rising Lion” on June 13, hitting Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure. That led to a series of strikes from both sides.
Since then, Trump had been considering whether the U.S. should get involved. Just days before launching the strikes, he said he would wait up to two weeks to decide. Although he had shown support for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, his decision to strike shows a major shift.
Dr. Kim’s support of Trump during this time has certainly stirred debate, especially as people question what intelligence really means—and whether it should be used to justify political or military choices.
