Trump Doubles Down on Threats against N Korea

Local Editor

US President Trump escalated his war of words with North Korea on Thursday by declaring that his provocative threat to rain down "fire and fury" might not have been harsh enough, as nuclear tensions between the two nations continued to crackle.

Speaking to reporters at his Bedminster, New Jersey resort, the president said North Korea should "get their act together" or it will "be in trouble like few nations have ever been," according to AP.

North Korea should be "very, very nervous" if it does anything to the US, Trump told reporters, according to Reuters, adding that he thinks China can and will do a lot more to resolve the crisis.

"We'll always consider negotiations," the US President added.

"I have great respect for what China and Russia did" in the Security Council, with a 15-0 vote for sanctions." He cautioned, however, that the sanctions may not be as effective as many expect.

"The people of our country are safe, our allies are safe," he concluded.

Following the meeting with his security advisers on Thursday afternoon, Trump said the US was "preparing for many different alternatives" about North Korea.

"He's disrespected our country greatly," Trump said of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. "He's not getting away with it."

"Let's see what he does with Guam," Trump said. "That's not a dare. That is a statement of fact."

On Tuesday, Trump had warned North Korea that it would "face fire and fury like the world has never seen" if Pyongyang continues threatening the US and its ally South Korea.

Since then, North Korea has threatened to bomb the US territory of Guam, saying that a plan to fire four missiles near the Pacific island would be ready for Kim Jong-un's consideration within days.

Because of North Korea, the US will increase its military budget by "many billions" of dollars, including expenditures on missile defense, Trump said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, War Secretary James Mattis warned North Korea against starting a war or an arms race, urging Pyongyang to refrain from "any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team