Breaking: Defense Secretary Mattis Contradicts Trump After President Threatens North Korea
Democratic Senator to Trump: This Is ‘Not a Game’
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has just directly contradicted the Commander-in-Chief on what the U.S. response to North Korea’s nuclear threat should be. Earlier Wednesday morning President Trump startled many when he declared on Twitter diplomatic efforts toward a solution on North Korea’s rapidly-advancing program to become a full-fledged nuclear power are no longer possible.
“The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years,” Trump tweeted. “Talking is not the answer!” he concluded.
Secretary Mattis, however, apparently disagrees, as this ABC News video taken moments ago shows:
“We are never out of diplomatic solutions”: James Mattis discusses N. Korea with South Korea’s Minister of Defense https://t.co/3OLo68kNhv
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) August 30, 2017
“We’re never out of diplomatic solutions,” Mattis said.
#SecDef #Korea MOD Song are at Pentagon discussing #NorthKorea. Mattis said when questioned “We are never out of diplomatic solutions.” pic.twitter.com/NLlY3vEdof
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) August 30, 2017
NBC Nightly News’Â Micah Grimes reports that Mattis made his remarks “while sitting in front of” South Korean officials at a meeting in South Korea.
In other words, Trump just really embarrassed himself.
Worse, however, as U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) notes, Trump’s tweet was downright dangerous.
Bar is high, but this is perhaps the most dangerous, irresponsible tweet of his entire Presidency. Millions of lives at stake – not a game. https://t.co/NSlGIIyXCb
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 30, 2017
Senator Murphy sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and on the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.
Experts and the U.S. government believe North Korea has successfully miniaturized a nuclear weapon and is very close to being able to successfully launch intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads accurately enough to hit the United States. The U.S. territory of Guam is reportedly already within the reach of Kim Jong-un’s missiles, and North Korea claims rocket tests show it can hit all of the U.S. mainland. U.S. experts disagree, but a large portion may be in range. ABC News cautions that “it remains unknown if the North Koreans have the re-entry or target technology necessary for such an attack.”
UPDATE: 12:03 PM EDT –
Longer clip of the Q&A with Sec. Mattis, questions by Military Times Pentagon Bureau Chief Tara Copp:
#SecDef Mattis on #NorthKorea: “We’re never out of diplomatic solutions…” pic.twitter.com/KVtRIqymYh
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 30, 2017
To comment on this article and other NCRM content, visit our Facebook page.Â

Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |