President Donald Trump on Sunday offered another vague statement suggesting the US may use military force against North Korea.
When asked by the White House pool reporter outside of a Washington, D.C. church if Trump plans to attack North Korea, Trump responded "We'll see."
Trump's comments came hours after North Korea tested what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb, its most powerful nuclear weapon to date.
Following the test, Trump posted a series of tweets suggesting that the US could use military force against North Korea.
Trump specifically urged China to step up economic pressure intended to force North Korea to halt its nuclear program, saying that the US could stop trade with China entirely if Chinese companies and financial institutions continued to conduct business with North Korea.
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, 2017Trump sent out a tweetstorm earlier Sunday morning following the nuclear test:
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, 2017Other cabinet officials indicated that the US would continue increasing diplomatic pressure on North Korea to relinquish its nuclear program, a goal that has eluded US leaders for decades, but has grown increasingly important following the country's escalating missile and weapons tests.
US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he spoke to Trump about the missile test on Sunday, and called for an additional round of sanctions on North Korea.