Trump On Whether The US Will Attack North Korea In Response To Nuclear Test: ‘We’ll See’
President Donald Trump on Sept. 3 offered another vague statement suggesting the U.S. may use military force against North Korea....
President Donald Trump on Sept. 3 offered another vague statement suggesting the U.S. may use military force against North Korea.
When asked by the White House pool reporter outside of a Washington, D.C. church if Trump plans to attack North Korea, Trump responded: “We'll see.”
Trump's comments came hours after North Korea tested what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb, its most powerful nuclear weapon to date.
Following the test, Trump posted a series of tweets suggesting that the U.S. could use military force against North Korea.
Trump specifically urged China to step up economic pressure intended to force North Korea to halt its nuclear program, saying that the U.S. could stop trade with China entirely if Chinese companies and financial institutions continued to conduct business with North Korea.
The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
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Trump sent out a tweetstorm earlier Sunday morning following the nuclear test:
North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
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..North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
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South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
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Other cabinet officials indicated that the U.S. would continue increasing diplomatic pressure on North Korea to relinquish its nuclear program, a goal that has eluded U.S. leaders for decades, but has grown increasingly important following the country's escalating missile and weapons tests.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he spoke to Trump about the missile test on Sunday, and called for an additional round of sanctions on North Korea.
More from Business Insider:
- Trump threatens to cut off trade with China if it does not stop trade with North Korea
- Moscow demands the US reverse its 'blatantly hostile' decision to close Russian diplomatic facilities
- Trump says 'appeasement' won't work after North Korea conducts another nuclear test — 'they only understand one thing!'
- North Korea says it has developed a more advanced hydrogen bomb that can be loaded onto an ICBM
- Iran military chief: Even 'unwise' leaders in the West know conflict would have huge costs
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