North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test Sunday, but President Donald Trump is not backing down.
North Korea successfully tested a staged thermonuclear device with an explosive yield much larger than anything the North has previously tested with the intent of mounting it on its new Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile.
Experts estimate the North’s bomb produced at least 100 kilotons of explosive power. Several hours before the test, North Korea revealed images of a new nuclear warhead, that the North claimed was a hydrogen bomb. The Hwasong-14 ICBM, which the North tested twice successfully in July and intends to arm with its new thermonuclear warhead, is believed to be able to strike targets across the continental U.S.
Trump first responded to this serious provocation on Twitter.
North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
..North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
The exact details of the last tweet are unclear, but the rhetoric resembles threats North Korea made last month when it threatened to launch ballistic missiles into waters around Guam, asserting that the only thing Trump understands is force.
Trump has already stated that talking to North Korea is not the answer.
The president has since threatened to possibly stop trade with all countries cooperating with North Korea, a move that may further complicate ties with China.
[contentcards url=”http://dailycaller.com/2017/09/03/trump-north-korea-will-not-be-appeased/” target=”_blank”]The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017
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