In his first address to the United Nations, President Donald Trump said Tuesday it is time for North Korea to realize that ceasing its missile program is the “only acceptable future,” but that the United States is ready to “totally destroy” the country if it continues on this path of destruction toward the U.S. or its allies.
“If this is not twisted enough, North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life,” Trump said. “It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with North Korea, but would arm and supply a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict.”
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“If the U.S. is forced to defend itself or our allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” the President said.
WATCH: Trump just called Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" at the United Nations. #RocketMan pic.twitter.com/6JOCoKIxDE
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) September 19, 2017
“Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and the regime,” he continued, referring to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. “The U.S. is ready, willing and able [to totally destroy North Korea], but hopefully this will not be necessary. That’s what the United Nations is all about.”
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Trump applauded the U.N. Security Council’s recent sanctions against North Korea, both of which were passed unanimously, notably with support from China and Russia. The most recent sanctions ban about 90 percent of North Korea’s exports.
But, Trump said: “We must do much more. It is time for all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior.”
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North Korea just last week launched yet another missile, this one an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean.
The North Korean launch came hours after North Korea threatened to blow the United States to “ashes and darkness” and has said it will “sink” the country of Japan, following a United Nations resolution that bans 90 percent of its exports.
The sanctions were passed unanimously by the U.N. Security Council following North Korea’s sixth ever successful nuclear missile launch and claims that the country now has a Hydrogen bomb it can place on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The sanctions, while watered down from original drafts, fully ban the country’s textile exports and reduce its oil and petroleum exports. This means about 90 percent of North Korea’s exports are now banned, as well as a complete ban on the country’s overseas laborers that provide nearly $500 million in revenue. Additionally, all foreign investment with North Korea is cut off, and the regime’s assets will be frozen.
North Korea recently promised the U.S. would “suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in history” over the sanctions.
“We think it’s just another very small step – not a big deal. Those sanctions are nothing compared to ultimately what will have to happen,” Trump has said.
The United Nations in August unanimously approved sanctions against North Korea in response to Kim Jong Un’s two successful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July.
Then, North Korea threatened “thousands-fold” revenge on the United States following those sanctions, which cut North Korea’s export revenue by $1 billion, or about a third. The sanctions banned North Korea from exporting coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood.
North Korea’s sixth nuclear missile test caused a 6.3 earthquake and was roughly five times as large as the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, Japan. The test came hours after North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un claimed that it now had an H-bomb to put onto its long-range ICBMs.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley has said that North Korea is “begging for war,” and that it’s time for the international community to impose the strongest possible sanctions against North Korea.
