Trump praises 'maniac' North Korean dictator for consolidating power by slaughtering family members

GOP front runner Donald Trump praised North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un for maintaining an iron grasp on autocratic power by slaughtering opponents, including his uncle.

The real estate mogul-turned politician was speaking in Ottumwa, Iowa on Saturday afternoon when he started talking about nuclear weapons. North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a nuke this week.

Trump called the North Korean supreme leader a "maniac" but then said he deserves credit for his brutality.

“And you’ve got to give him credit -- how many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals and all of a sudden, you know, it’s pretty amazing when you think of it. How does he do that?” Trump went on, according to The Hill.

“Even though it is a culture, and it’s a culture thing, he goes in, he takes over, he’s the boss. It’s incredible," Trump said. "He wiped out the uncle, he wiped out this one, that one. I mean this guy doesn't play games.”

Trump said he would make China to "handle the problem" along with Japan and South Korea.

Watch Trump's speech, as posted to YouTube, here. His comments regarding North Korea start around the 41-minute mark: