Trump: Maybe Threatening North Korea With ‘Fire And Fury’ Not Tough Enough

People walk by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting with an image of U.S.President Donald Trump at Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. North Korea and the United States traded escalating threats, with President Donald Trump threatening Pyongyang "with fire and fury like the world has never seen" and the North's military claiming Wednesday it was examining its plans for attacking Guam. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
People walk by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting with an image of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. North Korea and the United Sta... People walk by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting with an image of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. North Korea and the United States traded escalating threats, with President Donald Trump threatening Pyongyang "with fire and fury like the world has never seen" and the North's military claiming Wednesday it was examining its plans for attacking Guam. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested his threat to meet North Korea’s new alleged nuclear capabilities with “fire and fury like the world has never seen” might not have been quite strong enough.

“If anything, maybe that statement wasn’t tough enough,” Trump told reporters. “It’s about time that somebody stuck up for the people of this country.”

Trump told North Korea to “get their act together” and threatened trouble “like few nations have ever been” in if it does not comply.

He also said the military supports his statements “100 percent” and said he would not discuss the possibility of a preemptive strike against North Korea.

“We don’t talk about that,” he said. “I never do.”

The President remains on a “working vacation” at his New Jersey golf club.

Trump on Tuesday responded to reports that North Korea has successfully produced a nuclear weapon small enough to fit into an intercontinental ballistic missile by saying the nation “best not make any more threats to the United States.”

“They will be met with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before,” Trump said.

North Korea on Wednesday called Trump’s threat a “load of nonsense” and said “only absolute force” can work on a “guy” as “bereft of reason” as the President.

The nation threatened to launch a salvo of ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, creating “an enveloping fire” to “signal a crucial warning to the U.S.”

“I don’t think they mean that. I think it’s the first time they heard it the way they’ve heard it like they heard it,” Trump said of the North Korean response to his statement. “Maybe it wasn’t tough enough.”

“What would be tougher than fire and fury?” a reporter asked.

“Well, you’ll see,” Trump said. “You’ll see.”

He said “the people of this country should be very comfortable” despite the escalating rhetoric on both sides.

“If North Korea does anything in terms of even thinking about attack of anybody that we love or we represent or our allies or us, they can be very, very nervous, I’ll tell you what. And they should be very nervous,” Trump said. “North Korea better get their act together or they’re going to be in trouble like few nations ever have been in trouble in this world, okay?”

Latest News
172
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Wun Dum Fuk should’ve recounted heroic exploits of his personal Vietnam
    followed by an implicit threat of giving Kim debilitating bones spurs.

  2. Dan Sullivan gave him an out, Dave Sullivan gave him an out, Dan Sullivan gave hi…

  3. Oh my God. So stupid.

    -edit- Maybe he could threaten while performing a Maori war dance.

  4. President William J. Le Petomane.

    With launch codes.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

166 more replies

Participants

Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for scavok Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for marby Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for inversion Avatar for thebigragu Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for benthere Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for tena Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for tsp Avatar for bloomster Avatar for caltg Avatar for susanintheoc Avatar for katscherger Avatar for cub_calloway Avatar for erik_t Avatar for dannysgrandma Avatar for sf_extrasour Avatar for justruss

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: