Trump Commends World for Confronting North Korea

WASHINGTON — 

U.S. President Donald Trump commended the international community Tuesday for confronting North Korea over its nuclear weapons development, but his United Nations envoy said she is skeptical that the latest sanctions will deter Pyongyang.

Trump, on what he calls a working vacation at his golf resort in New Jersey, said in a Twitter comment, "After many years of failure, countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!"

But Trump's U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, told NBC's "Today Show" that the newest United Nations sanctions aimed at cutting $1 billion in North Korean exports are not "going to stop our North Korea problem." Nonetheless, she said the penalties would "send a very strong message."

She reiterated that Trump "has said all options are on the table," including an armed strike to thwart the North Korean threat, Pyongyang's claim that its missiles can now reach the U.S. mainland.

"We’ll do whatever it takes to counter North Korea," she said.

As for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Haley said, "He has to decide if he strikes the United States, is that something he can win?"

North Korea vowed Monday to persist in its nuclear weapons development program, rejecting calls from the international community to rein in its aggressive military actions.

Pyongyang's United Nations mission contended that new U.N. sanctions against it for its missile tests were a "flagrant infringement upon its sovereignty," with state media claiming they were the result of a "heinous U.S. plot to isolate and stifle" the reclusive, communist country.

​North Korea told a security conference of key regional leaders in Manila that it would never bargain away its development of nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles, and said that it would teach the United States a "severe lesson" with nuclear strategic force if Washington launches an attack against it.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made stops in Thailand and Malaysia Tuesday in an effort to urge two U.S. Southeast Asian allies to maintain pressure against North Korea.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters that his country, as a member of the United Nations, has adhered to past sanctions against Pyongyang, cutting 94 percent of its trade with the communist regime in the first half of 2017 compared to a year ago.

In the U.S., a new CBS News poll showed Americans are uneasy about the possibility of conflict with North Korea and wary about Trump's ability to handle the situation.

The survey conducted in recent days showed that Republicans, much more than Democrats or political independents, are confident in Trump's approach to Pyongyang.

The poll said that overall 35 percent of Americans are confident in Trump's ability to handle the North Korea situation, while 61 percent are uneasy.

In other findings, CBS said 60 percent of Americans believe that North Korea's nuclear development program is a "threat that can be contained," while 29 percent think it is a "threat requiring military action now," and 7 percent say it is "not a threat at all."

The survey said 72 percent are "uneasy about possible conflict," with 26 percent saying they are "confident things will be resolved."

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