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Trump Says 'Only One Thing Will Work' In Dealing With North Korea


U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis

U.S. President Donald Trump says "only one thing will work" in dealing with North Korea, but he did not make clear what that would be.

"Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid," Trump said in a tweet on October 7.

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

Trump has previously said the United States would "totally destroy" North Korea if necessary to protect itself and its allies against the rogue nation’s nuclear threats.

Pyongyang has repeatedly conducted nuclear and ballistic-missile tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions and in the face of global condemnation.

The president has engaged in a war of words and exchanged threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On October 5, after meeting at the White House with top military commanders, Trump told reporters: "You guys know what this represents? Maybe it's the calm before the storm."

Asked what he meant, Trump said only: "You'll find out."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week said the United States was in direct communication with North Korea over the dispute. Trump, in reaction, told him in a Twitter statement that he was "wasting his time."

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa

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