Trump warns of ‘major, major conflict’ over North Korea’s nuclear threat
DONALD TRUMP has warned that the United States and North Korea could “absolutely” go to war in a “major, major conflict” over the communist state’s nuclear threat.
Mr Trump insisted he wanted a peaceful solution via tough new sanctions, and he admitted: “We’d love to solve things diplomatically — but it’s very difficult.”
In a wide-ranging interview ahead of his 100th day in office tomorrow, the president also said he missed his old life as a property mogul and host of reality TV show Celebrity Apprentice.
“I loved my previous life. I had so many things going,” he confessed. “This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.”
He complained he was no longer able to get behind the wheel of a car or feel free to travel on a whim because of security fears, telling Reuters: “You’re really into your own little cocoon, because you have such massive protection that you really can’t go anywhere.”
Asked if he considered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to be rational, Mr Trump said: “He’s 27 years old. His father dies, took over a regime. So say what you want but that is not easy, especially at that age. I’m not giving him credit... I’m just saying that’s a very hard thing to do.
“As to whether or not he’s rational, I have no opinion on it. I hope he’s rational.” Mr Trump praised Chinese
president Xi Jinping, even though China was the target of much of his criticism during the election campaign.
He said Mr Xi, whom he met at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, has made efforts to calm tensions with North Korea: “I believe he is trying very hard. He certainly doesn’t want to see turmoil and death. He is a very good man and I got to know him very well. With that being said, he loves China and he loves the people of China. I know he would like to be able to do something, perhaps it’s possible that he can’t.”
In an interview set to air on National Public Radio in the US today, secretary of state Rex Tillerson will say direct talks with North Korea are “the way we would like to solve this” but Pyongyang “has to decide they’re ready to talk to us about the right agenda”. That would not include pausing its nuclear programme at the current level for a few years “and then resuming things”, Mr Tillerson was to say.
He will chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council today to discuss North Korea. Next week Congress is due to vote on a bill to authorise new sanctions targeting shipping and finance.
‘I loved my previous life. I had so many things going. This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier’
President Donald Trump