Trump reportedly talked about using the 'nuclear football' on North Korea in 2017

President Trump went to Puerto Rico in October 2017 to see the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria. While there, he ranted and raved about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, even talking about using the nuclear option against the country, three people who were with him told CNN Thursday.
Trump was obviously distracted, they said, and he pointed to the "nuclear football," the briefcase that can be used to authorize a nuclear attack, declaring: "This is what I have for Kim." At the time, Trump was still tweeting barbs at Kim, but since then, the pair have met twice, and Trump now says he likes Kim and they have a warm relationship.
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló would not discuss the remark with CNN on Thursday, only saying, "There were other topics that were being discussed, and my view is that the sole focus of that trip should have been on Puerto Rico." Several media outlets have reported Trump has been privately complaining about the amount of aid going to Puerto Rico, which still has not fully recovered from the 2017 hurricane. In public, though, Trump is patting himself on the back, telling reporters on Thursday that "Puerto Rico has been taken care of better by Donald Trump than by any living human being, and I think the people of Puerto Rico understand."
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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