Trump defends hard line on North Korea

President Donald Trump justified his saber rattling at North Korea on Monday morning as a necessary break from his predecessors’ failed efforts to contain the increasingly volatile regime.

After tweeting Saturday that ‘only one thing will work,’ Trump repeated his assertion that U.S. tactics, dating back to the presidency of Bill Clinton, have not been effective at halting the development of North Korea’s nuclear program.

‘Our country has been unsuccessfully dealing with North Korea for 25 years, giving billions of dollars & getting nothing. Policy didn’t work!’ he said early this morning in his latest volley at dictator Kim Jong-un.

President Donald Trump justified his saber rattling at North Korea on Monday morning, after saying Saturday (above) that people would know ‘pretty soon’ how he intends to handle the country’s volatile, ruling government

Trump cryptically observed last week that this period may be the ‘calm before the storm.’ He has not clarified the intent of his remark, telling reporters Saturday that no clarification was needed.

The White House said Friday that Trump was making a ‘general comment’ and did not have a specific country in mind when he made the remark during a photo op on Thursday evening with military leaders.

His continued commentary on North Korea has raised suspicions that he may have been referring to a military conflict with Kim, though.

Trump said on Saturday, for instance: ‘Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid.

‘Hasn’t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!’ 

Asked what would constrain North Korea later on, Trump said, ‘Well, you’ll figure that out pretty soon.’

He would not tell reporters what he meant by his ‘the calm before the storm’ as he departed the White House for a North Carolina fundraiser.

As the president was wooing Republican Party donors on Saturday evening in North Carolina, an interview he taped with Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and an opponent of Trump’s in last year’s presidential primary, was airing on Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Trump called Kim ‘Little Rocket Man’ in the conversation and reiterated his frustration with previous U.S. presidents, who he said left him ‘a mess’ in North Korea and foreign policy other arenas.

He smacked former Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama for their treatment of the present leader’s father, Kim Jong-il, ’cause it’s the same thing.’

The North Korean leaders have the ‘same attitude, Trump said, although, ‘I think this one’s the worst of the group.’ 

Trump sat down for the interview with Huckabee, father to the president’s press secretary, on Thursday. It aired during the first episode of the Republican’s new television show.

The interview occurred hours before Trump said at a jovial photo-op with military brass that the gathering could represent ‘the calm before the storm.’

Friday afternoon, during an event with American manufacturers, Trump was pressed to explain what he meant. 

‘You’ll find out,’ he said, winking. On Saturday evening, the president insisted there was ‘nothing to clarify’ as he left the White House on his way to Greensboro for a Republican National Committee fundraiser.

The president has previously said the United States would destroy North Korea if necessary to protect itself and its allies. He has also derisively referred to North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un as 'Little Rocket Man.' Kim is seen in the above file photo taken on September 29

The president has previously said the United States would destroy North Korea if necessary to protect itself and its allies. He has also derisively referred to North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un as ‘Little Rocket Man.’ Kim is seen in the above file photo taken on September 29

At a White House press briefing on Friday Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders insisted, ‘You’ll have to wait and see.’

Sanders said that while Trump’s words are vague, he’s not trying to sow confusion.

‘I wouldn’t say necessarily that he’s trying to throw people off, but he’s not trying to broadcast or telegraph his exact actions,’ she said. 

‘I think we’ve seen what a failure it is when an administration does that.’

Sanders cautioned that Trump ‘certainly doesn’t want to lay out his game plan for our enemies.’

But she also refused to say which to which enemy the president had issued his cryptic warning.

‘We’ve got a lot of bad actors in the world: North Korea, Iran, there’s several examples there,’ she said, adding that ‘I haven’t been specific about anything.’

Before Trump created a national ‘calm before the storm’ storm, he had been in discussion with top defense officials about the threat from North Korea and how to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

‘In North Korea, our goal is denuclearization,’ he said.

The president on Thursday also had tough words for Iran, saying the country had not lived up to the spirit of an agreement forged with world powers to curb its nuclear program. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is seen in the above file photo

The president on Thursday also had tough words for Iran, saying the country had not lived up to the spirit of an agreement forged with world powers to curb its nuclear program. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is seen in the above file photo

‘We cannot allow this dictatorship to threaten our nation or our allies with unimaginable loss of life. We will do what we must do to prevent that from happening. And it will be done, if necessary, believe me.’

During his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month, Trump said the United States would ‘totally destroy’ North Korea if needed to defend itself or US allies.

The president on Thursday also had tough words for Iran, saying the country had not lived up to the spirit of an agreement forged with world powers to curb its nuclear program.

A senior administration official said on Thursday that Trump was expected to announce soon he would decertify the landmark agreement.

Trump has filled top posts within his administration with military generals, including his chief of staff, retired General John Kelly, and national security adviser, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster.

McMaster, who normally dresses in civilian clothes at the White House, wore his uniform for the meeting.

Without being specific, Trump pressed the leaders to be faster at providing him with ‘military options’ when needed.

‘Moving forward, I also expect you to provide me with a broad range of military options, when needed, at a much faster pace.

‘I know that government bureaucracy is slow, but I am depending on you to overcome the obstacles of bureaucracy,’ he said during their cabinet room meeting.      

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