Important: Secretary of Defense, Not Secretary of State, Delivered Remarks
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis delivered a short statement threatening North Korea Sunday afternoon from just outside the White House. Mattis was accompanied by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Joseph Dunford, who did not speak. The statement was in direct response to North Korea’s successful test of a powerful nuclear device just before midnight Saturday night.
“Any threat to the United States or its territorities including Guam, or our allies, will be met with a massive response, a response both effective and overwhelming,” Sec. Mattis said, noting the U.S. has “many military options.”
Mattis also called America’s commitment to its allies “ironclad.”
WHY THIS MATTERS:Â
- The Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs were President Trump’s choice to make the statement, instead of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Tilllerson was reportedly not invited to the White House meeting this afternoon, suggesting a diplomatic option was not at the forefront of Trump’s thinking.
- Mattis’ statement does not say the U.S. would not strike first – it actually suggests America’s military might, because it uses the word “threat” as opposed to action or attack.
Watch:
President Trump has been tweeting about North Korea several times today, and has been criticized and mocked by intelligence and policy experts for his comments.
Minutes before Mattis’ statement, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour made these remarks:
Â
RELATED:
‘Obvious Bluff Makes US Look Incredibly Weak’: Trump Is Criticized for Latest Tweets on North Korea
Trump Tweets Embarrassing Response to Powerful North Korea Nuclear Test, Gets Condemned and Mocked
To comment on this article and other NCRM content, visit our Facebook page.
If you find NCRM valuable, would you please consider making a donation to support our independent journalism?