Limited options for Trump as North Korea races ahead with nuclear weapons
The United States is trying to put more pressure on North Korea after the regime's second successful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test. President Trump spoke with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the phone Sunday night. Abe said they discussed taking "tangible action."
As the U.S. assesses its next steps, officials are facing the fact that, in many ways, they are too late; an unstable and unpredictable regime has developed its nuclear missile technology faster than anticipated, and President Trump has limited options, reports CBS News correspondent Julianna Goldman.
With tensions rising, the U.S. flexed its military muscles along with its South Korean and Japanese allies, first with a live fire missile test on Friday. Then, in a joint military exercise on Saturday, two U.S. supersonic bombers conducted a flyover of the Korean peninsula. The military also carried out what the Pentagon says was a successful pre-planned missile defense test in the Pacific.
Video purportedly shows North Korea launching an ICBM on Friday with the country's leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the test.
Analysts say Friday's launch proves that North Korea could have the capability to hit the U.S. mainland, including Los Angeles and possibly Chicago, New York and close to Washington, D.C.
Over the weekend, President Trump tweeted that he was disappointed in China's response. "They do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk," he said, adding, "China could easily solve this problem!"
Traveling in eastern Europe, Vice President Pence reiterated the president's sentiment and said the U.S. was losing patience with China.
"President of the United States is leading a coalition of nations to bring pressure to bear until that time that North Korea will permanently abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile program," Pence said.
On Sunday, a massive military parade in China's northern region honored the 90th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and showed off the country's enormous military strength.
China's president did not respond to Mr. Trump at that parade, but it did come just hours after his tweets. Over the last couple of years President Xi Jinping has been expanding China's military – a direct challenge to the U.S. in the region.