Trump says 'we'll see' about attacking North Korea

(Image credit: NBC/Screenshot)

Asked by a reporter Sunday whether he intends to launch a preventive attack on North Korea, President Trump simply responded, "We'll see." The quick exchange came as Trump exited church with his wife Melania and was prompted by North Korea's claim to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb.

Earlier Sunday, Trump tweeted several thoughts in response to Pyongyang's announcement. His final post concluded that "talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!" Though Trump did not name the "one thing," his remark was widely interpreted to refer to use of military force in preventive war.

In posts several hours later, Trump said he is exploring options, apparently including nixing all trade with China, with his top advisers Sunday afternoon:

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For a different perspective, read The Week's Harry J. Kazianis on why war is not the answer to the North Korea problem.

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Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.