US president talks about ‘severe’ measures against Pyongyang but defense secretary says diplomacy still on the table
President Donald Trump labeled North Korea’s behavior a threat and promised, «we will confront it very strongly.»
North Korea carried out a test launch Tuesday of its first intercontinental ballistic missile, complete with a re-entry vehicle that would allow it to be equipped with a nuclear warhead.
U. S. military officials estimated the missile had a range of 5,500 kilometers, potentially putting parts of the northwestern United States within Pyongyang’s reach.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday in Warsaw with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Trump warned North Korea he is considering «some pretty severe things.»
«They are behaving in a very, very dangerous manner and something will have to be done, » he said. «There are consequences for their very, very bad behavior.»
The U. S. president did not elaborate on which options are under consideration, but Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters later Thursday at the Pentagon there was still time for a diplomatic solution despite North Korea’s continued provocations.
«I do not believe this capability in itself brings us closer to war because the president’s been very clear, the secretary of state’s been very clear, that we are leading with diplomatic and economic efforts, » he said.
«We are working with allies. We are working with the Chinese, » Mattis added. «But obviously any kind of effort by North Korea to start a war would lead to severe consequences.»
WATCH: ‘Severe Things’ Considered for North Korea, Trump Says
Mattis said the U. S. military has readied several options in case diplomacy ultimately fails but noted U. S.
