Following North Korea’s latest nuclear weapons test, one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics expressed confidence in Trump’s team, but not the commander in chief himself.
Flake echoed the administration’s previous statements on the North Korean nuclear threat, saying all options needed to be on the table — including military ones — and said there is no clear path forward to resolving Pyongyang’s continued nuclear development.
“It becomes cliche to say there are no good options here, but there really aren’t, ” Flake said.
Flake said China has “considerably more leverage” than the US over North Korea, and he hoped Beijing would use that leverage to help alleviate the crisis, but he also acknowledged international sanctions on Pyongyang had not slowed the rogue state’s nuclear program.
“They seem intent on moving forward, ” Flake said.
A top Trump target
Flake criticized Trump during the campaign, and since he took office, the senator has said he is willing to part with Trump on key items of the President’s agenda.
Flake has supported Trump’s nominees and voted with him on a number of issues that have come before the Senate, including GOP proposals to repeal and replace Obamacare. But the Arizona senator has also staked out positions opposing Trump on immigration and the proposed border wall.
Trump promised during the campaign to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. Flake said Sunday that “it would be the right thing” for Trump to go back on that promise.
“To remove them from the country, to split up families like this, is just not the way we ought to go, ” Flake said.
On Trump’s proposed border wall, Flake said it was still unclear to him what Trump was actually proposing.
“We still really haven’t seen what he means by the wall, ” Flake said. “If that’s a metaphor for border security, we can certainly support that. But if he’s talking about a solitary, brick-and-mortar, 2,000-mile edifice on the border, then no, nobody ought to support that.”
Flake’s criticisms of Trump have earned the ire of the President, who most recently criticized him — but not by name — during a rally in Flake’s state of Arizona. But in the interview Sunday, Flake said he was not worried about Trump hurting his reelection chances.
“The people in Arizona tend to elect independent-minded, principled senators, ” Flake said.
He added, “I’m quite comfortable being where I am.”

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The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday – its sixth and largest so far (all times local) :
TOKYO (AP) – The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday – its sixth and largest so far (all times local) :
11 p.m.
U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he is putting together new sanctions seeking to cut off trade with North Korea after it detonated a thermonuclear device in its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday, ” Mnuchin described Pyongyang’s behavior as “completely unacceptable.”
Mnuchin says the sanctions package being drafted for President Donald Trump’s consideration will make clear that if countries want to do business with the U. S., they will have to cut off North Korea economically.
Mnuchin says the U. S. is continuing to work with allies and China to exert pressure on North Korea.
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10: 45 p.m.
The office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel says North Korea’s provocations have “reached a new dimension” with the nation’s sixth nuclear test.
Merkel spoke on the phone Sunday with French president Emmanuel Macron. Her office says both leaders “condemn North Korea’s new nuclear tests in the sharpest possible terms” and that “the latest provocation by the rulers in Pyongyang has reached a new dimension.”
Macron’s office said he, Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni agree on the need for a “strong international reaction” against North Korea, including new sanctions from the European Union.
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10: 25 p.m.
The White House says President Donald Trump and his national security team plan a meeting later Sunday to discuss North Korea, in the wake of the North’s announcement that it has conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date.
The White House says the president’s team is “monitoring this closely.”
Trump has reacted to the test by calling North Korea “a rogue nation” whose “words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.”
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9: 25 p.m.
Britain and Italy are among the many nations condemning North Korea over its sixth nuclear test Sunday.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called the test “reckless” in a statement and said “all options are on the table.”
Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in a statement that North Korea must immediately abandon its nuclear and missile development program.
He also urged the North Koreans to stop going down the path of increasing self-isolation. Alfano pledged that Italy would do its part to at achieve a “firm and cohesive response” by the international community to North Korea’s latest challenge.
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9: 20 p.m.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief says North Korea’s sixth nuclear test represents a “major provocation” and “a grave threat to regional and international security.”
Federica Mogherini also said in a statement that Pyongyang “must abandon its nuclear, weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities.”
Mogherini said she will meet Monday with Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to discuss North Korea.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a “perfect success.”
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9: 15 p.m.
NATO’s secretary-general has strongly condemned North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, calling it “yet another flagrant violation of multiple U. N. Security Council resolutions.”
Jens Stoltenberg also said in a statement that “NATO is concerned by Pyongyang’s destabilizing pattern of behavior, which poses a threat to regional and international security.”
He called on North Korea to “immediately cease all existing nuclear and ballistic missile activities in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner, and re-engage in dialogue with the international community.”
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a “perfect success.”
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9 p.m.
The head of the U. N. atomic energy agency says the latest test of a nuclear weapon by North Korea is of “grave concern.” He’s urging Pyongyang to heed U. N. demands to stop such testing and mothball its nuclear program.
Yukiya Amano says the International Atomic Energy Agency “continues to closely follow developments.” But while the IAEA is policing Iran’s nuclear program, its abilities to monitor the North’s program are limited.
Its inspectors have been shut out of the country since 2002, and North Korea unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty a year later.
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8: 45 p.m.
President Donald Trump has reacted to what he’s calling “a major Nuclear Test” by North Korea – branding the North “a rogue nation” whose “words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous” to the United States.
North Korea says it has conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date – and claiming a “perfect success.”
Trump tweets that North Korea “has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.”
China is by far the North’s biggest trading partner.
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7: 25 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.
In a written statement, Macron “calls on the members of the United Nations Security Council to quickly react to this new violation by North Korea of international law.”
He also calls for a “united and clear reaction of the European Union.”
He says the international community “must treat this new provocation with the utmost firmness” to bring North Korea back to the path of dialogue and give up its nuclear and missile programs.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. State-controlled media say it was a hydrogen bomb. South Korea’s weather agency says the detonation set off a magnitude 5.7 earthquake.
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6: 35 p.m.
The Russian Foreign Ministry says North Korea’s claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb “deserves the strongest condemnation.” It’s calling for all parties to refrain from escalating tensions further.
The ministry issued a statement Sunday urging immediate dialogue and negotiations. It says that’s the only way settle the Korean Peninsula’s problems, “including the nuclear one.”
The ministry says Russia reaffirms its readiness to participate in negotiations, “including in the context of the implementation of the Russian-Chinese road map.” Under that proposal, North Korea would suspend nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U. S. and South Korea suspending their joint military exercises.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a “perfect success.”
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6: 20 p.m.
A Chinese expert on North Korea says the country conducted its sixth nuclear test Sunday to damage the atmosphere at the summit of the Chinese-led group of large and emerging countries known as BRICS.
The summit of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is being held Monday and Tuesday in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. A related business forum opened Sunday with a keynote speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said nothing of the missile test.
Cheng Xiaohe (CHUHNG-She’ow-huh) of Renmin University says the latest test means “the Korean Peninsula situation will be at a stage of new crisis.”
He says North Korea has demonstrated that it is not afraid of any pressure, which leaves other parties with few options.
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6 p.m.
China’s foreign ministry has condemned North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.
The ministry said in a statement Sunday that the Chinese government has “expressed firm opposition and strong condemnation” of Sunday’s detonation.
China urged North Korea to “stop taking erroneous actions that deteriorate the situation.”
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device.
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5: 10 p.m.
South Korea says it wants to answer North Korea’s sixth nuclear test with the strongest measures possible.
South Korea’s National Security Director Chung Eui-yong said Sunday that President Moon Jae-in will seek every available diplomatic measure, including new sanctions from the United Nations Security Council. He says Moon will also discuss with Washington ways to deploy the “strongest strategic assets” the U. S. has to completely isolate Pyongyang.
The president’s office would not comment on it means by “strongest strategic assets.”
The response comes in the wake of the North’s confirmation that it has successfully tested a hydrogen bomb of “unprecedented” strength meant to be loaded into an intercontinental ballistic missile. The nuclear test triggered a strong earthquake.
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4: 10 p.m.
South Korea’s presidential office says the security chiefs for Seoul and Washington have spoken following North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.
The office says U. S. National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, for 20 minutes in an emergency phone call about an hour after the detonation.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. State-controlled media say it was a hydrogen bomb. South Korea’s weather agency says the apparent detonation set off a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, making the blast five to six times stronger than the North’s fifth test in September 2016.
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3: 45 p.m.
North Korean TV says the country has successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that is meant to be loaded into an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The TV anchor announced the test’s success on Korean Central Television, hours after Seoul and Tokyo detected unusual seismic activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site. The announcer says North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un ordered the test.
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3: 30 p.m.
South Korea’s weather agency says an apparent nuclear test by North Korea appears to have been several times stronger than its previous test.
The Korea Meteorological Administration estimated Sunday that the nuclear blast yield of the presumed test was between 50 to 60 kilotons, or five to six times stronger than the North Korea’s fifth test in September 2016.
North Korea is believed to have conducted a test after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake was detected earlier Sunday. The previous test created seismic waves with a magnitude of 5.0.
Japan’s defense minister says the larger magnitude of the earthquake suggests “capability significantly exceeding the last one.”
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2: 55 p.m.
North Korea’s state broadcaster says an important announcement is coming at 3 p.m. in Pyongyang. That would be 3: 30 p.m. in Seoul and Tokyo, and 2: 30 a.m. EDT.
KRT did not give any details of the announcement, but it comes after earthquake activity was detected earlier Sunday in what is presumed to have been a North Korean nuclear test.
The apparent test came hours after North Korea said its leader had inspected a hydrogen bomb meant for a new intercontinental ballistic missile. The report could not be independently verified.
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2: 30 p.m.
South Korea has refuted a news report that there was a second earthquake near North Korea’s nuclear test site.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said Sunday that it had not detected another quake.
South Korea’s Yonhap news service reported a second earthquake had happened eight minutes after the first, citing China’s earthquake agency.
South Korea’s military said earlier Sunday that North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test after seismic waves were detected with a magnitude of 5.7. That was revised up from an initial report of 5.6.
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1: 40 p.m.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency says a second quake was detected near North Korea’s nuclear test site.
The second quake measured 4.6.
South Korea’s military said earlier Sunday that North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test after it picked up seismic waves measuring 5.6. The U. S. Geological Survey called the first quake an explosion with a magnitude 6.3.
It came hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected a hydrogen bomb meant for a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
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1: 30 p.m.
South Korea’s military says North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul says in a statement South Korea’s military has strengthened monitoring and readiness and is mulling a variety of possible responses that could be pushed together with its ally the U. S.
The apparent test came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
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1: 05 p.m.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says a magnitude 5.6 quake in North Korea was artificial and it’s analyzing whether the North conducted a nuclear test.
It says it detected a seismic wave from 12: 34 p.m. to 12: 36 p.m. around Punggyeri, North Korea.
The quake came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
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1 p.m.
South Korea’s Yonhap News agency says a magnitude 5.6 quake has occurred in North Korea.
It isn’t immediately clear whether North Korea has conducted its sixth nuclear test. North Korea conducted its fifth test last September.
The report came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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