Mattis Warns North Korea: Any Threat to U.S. or Allies 'Will be Met With a Massive Military Response'

Following North Korea’s latest provocation on the Korean Peninsula, Defense Secretary James Mattis issued a blunt warning, saying any threat to the U.S. or its allies by North Korea would be met with a “massive military response.”

“We have many military options and the president wanted to be briefed on each one of them,” Mattis said in a statement outside of the White House on Sunday after meeting with President Trump, Vice President Pence, and military leaders.

“Any threat to the United States, or its territories including Guam, or our allies, will be met with a massive military response,” he added.

“Kim Jong Un should take heed the United Nations’ Security Council’s unified voice. All members unanimously agreed on the threat North Korea poses,” Mattis continued. “And they remain unanimous in their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Because we are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely, North Korea.”

Via The Hill:

Mattis’s aggressive, holiday-weekend statement comes hours after North Korean state media announced the country had successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb capable of fitting on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The move is a show of defiance against Washington and the international community.

The UN Security Council unanimously voted last month to impose sanctions on Pyongyang after the country launched a series of ICBMs.
The council announced it would be having an emergency meeting to discuss the developments.

The Defense secretary’s statement matches President Trump’s recent hawkish statements regarding North Korea.

Trump strongly condemned Pyongyang’s actions, saying the U.S. was considering imposing sanctions on North Korea’s trade partners.

The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017

North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017