Trump warns of "devastating" U.S. military option in North Korea
President Trump warned North Korea Tuesday that any U.S. military action would be "devastating," CBS News correspondent Major Garrett reports.
Mr. Trump said that U.S. armed forces were "totally prepared" to respond, one day after North Korea threatened to shoot down American warplanes. He also vowed to "fix the mess" in North Korea, and said Kim Jong-Un was acting very badly.
In the Rose Garden Tuesday, Mr. Trump spoke aggressively about potential military action against North Korea.
"If we take that option, it will be devastating. I can tell you that," he told reporters.
American B-1 bombers flew in international airspace, but nearer than usual to North Korea's east coast, over the weekend, and U.S. intelligence detected signs Tuesday that the north was preparing an attempted intercept of the next U.S. bomber flight. On the east coast, in Orang, MiG-23 jets were fitted with external fuel tanks, and in Iwon, MiG-29 jets were armed with air-to-air missiles.
Because North Korea has spent so much on its nuclear and ballistic missile program, its air force is weak. Its pilots are poorly trained, flying as little as 10 hours a year, however they could still mount an intercept.
Mr. Trump blamed Kim Jong Un for the war-like rhetoric, though his own advisers have warned him against provoking the dictator.
General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers there was no evidence North Korea was preparing for a conventional military strike.
"While the political space is clearly very charged right now, we haven't seen a change in the posture of North Korean forces," Dunford said. "We watch that very carefully."
While officials keep a close eye, military analysts told CBS News that increased tensions have lowered U.S. tolerance for a potentially hostile engagement like this, increasing the chances of miscalculation or conflict.