Most say Trump making North Korea situation worse

WASHINGTON » North Korea’s nuclear weapons development is spooking most Americans, and two-thirds of them say President Donald Trump’s war of words with the isolated nation’s leader is making the situation worse. Less than 1 in 10 thinks Trump’s comments are making it better.

Those are the findings of a poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, as tensions between the adversaries escalate and North Korea comes closer to its goal of having a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the continental U.S.

The poll was conducted about a week after Trump intensified rhetorical exchanges with his counterpart Kim Jong Un, dubbing him “Rocket Man” and threatening in a Sept. 19 speech at the U.N. to “totally destroy” North Korea if the U.S. is forced to defend itself and its allies. Kim responded with dire threats and insults of his own, calling Trump “deranged” and a “dotard.”