Trump says 'major' conflict with North Korea possible

Trump says 'major' conflict with North Korea possible



Donald Trump says that the US could 'absolutely' go to war with North Korea over its continuing nuclear missile program.

His remarks came as part of a wide-ranging interview on Thursday in which he discussed selling South Korea a missile defense system and slammed trade deals established by the previous administration.

But it was the threat of a nuclear attack by North Korea on the US or its allies that seemed to occupy much of his attention.

'There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea. Absolutely,' Trump said ahead of his 100th day in office on Saturday.

Nonetheless, he said he wanted to peacefully resolve the crisis by preparing a variety of new economic sanctions - but added that he would not take the military option off the table.

'We'd love to solve things diplomatically but it's very difficult,' he said.



Speaking on his 98th day in office, Trump wistfully said that he missed his previous life as a business magnate and host of The Apprentice.

'I loved my previous life. I had so many things going,' he said. 'This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.'

Trump also lamented that he is no longer able to get behind the wheel of a car any more, or have much of a private life, due to security risks.

'You're really into your own little cocoon, because you have such massive protection that you really can't go anywhere,' he said.



However, he spoke positively of his meetings with Chinese president Xi Jinping.

He lavished praise on premier, for Chinese assistance in trying to rein in North Korea. The two leaders met in Florida earlier this month.

'I believe he is trying very hard. He certainly doesn't want to see turmoil and death. He doesn't want to see it.

'He is a good man. 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.'

Trump spoke on Thursday, just a day after he and his top national security advisers briefed US lawmakers on the North Korean threat.

They said that North Korea was 'an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority.'

It said it was focusing on economic and diplomatic pressure, including Chinese cooperation in containing its defiant neighbor and ally, and remained open to negotiations.



Trump, asked if he considered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to be rational, said he was operating from the assumption that he is rational. He noted that Kim had taken over his country at an early age.

'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 or not giving him credit, I'm just saying that's a very hard thing to do.'

He perhaps felt some empathy towards the dictator given his own experiences giving up his old life in the White House.

'As to whether or not he's rational, I have no opinion on it,' he said. 'I hope he's rational.'

On Friday secretary of state Rex Tillerson will press the United Nations Security Council on sanctions to further isolate Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programs.

Among those in attendance will be Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Tillerson said he wanted China - North Korea's only ally, albeit an increasingly strained one - to take the lead in diplomacy to resolve the crisis.



'We are going to test their willingness to help us address the serious threat,' he told Fox News on Thursday.

He said China said it had already stepped in and 'requested the regime conduct no further nuclear test' to no avail.

He added: 'We are going to be discussing what steps may be necessary to increase pressure on Pyongyang to have them reconsider their current posture.'  

US officials said military strikes remained an option but played down the prospect, though the administration has sent an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region in a show of force.



Any direct US military action would run the risk of massive North Korean retaliation and huge casualties in Japan and South Korea, and among US forces in both countries.

However, on Thursday the top US Navy official in the Pacific theater said that he would be ready to fight 'tonight'.

Admiral Harry B Harris Jr, Commander of US Pacific Command, said that he would prefer a diplomatic end to tensions, and that he was confident in the leadership of Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

'We want to bring Kim Jong-un to his senses - not to his knees,' he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

However, he warned that the US needs to treat Kim as though he has the capability and intention to launch missiles at America or its allies, South Korea and Australia.

'The North Korean crisis is the worst I've ever seen,' he said.