Pyongyang boasted its latest ballistic missile could strike anywhere in the world after blasting it at about 3am today local time (6pm GMT yesterday).
Responding to the latest provocation, which came after two months of relative calm, Mr Trump told reporters: “I will only tell you that we will take care of it.
“It is a situation that we will handle.”
That leaves the President, who recently threatened “fire and fury” against the despotic regime, with a small number of uncomfortable choices.
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Donald Trump could take military action against North Korea
The tough rhetoric that we’ve used, if its not followed by tough action, leaves us in a worse position
One of those would be to take military action, a potentially devastating scenario.
John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the UN, said 25 years of diplomacy and sanctions had failed completely, leaving no option but to take military action or accept a nuclear-armed North Korea.
He claimed once Pyongyang reached its nuclear goal it would demand the US pull troops from South Korea or Japan and could sell its destructive technology to other rogue states.
Mr Bolton told Sky News: “I don’t think it would be a major war, I think what the US has to look at is destroying North Korea’s ballistic missile facilities and its nuclear facilities.
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Kim Jong-un is threatening world peace
“I think as well we would have to take step to protect against North Korean retaliations against South Korea and what they would probably do is attack the city of Seoul.”
By launching a war he would run the risk of the US mainland being hit by a missile carrying nuclear material.
Thousands of lives would be put at risk in the US, North Korea and worldwide by such an action.
But Mr Bolton warned: “The tough rhetoric that we’ve used, if its not followed by tough action, leaves us in a worse position.”
EXPRESS
The missile is believed to have landed in the sea in Japan’s exclusive economic zone
Although an all-out attack on the state could succeed, thousands of lives would be put at risk and there is now the very real danger missiles would be fired by its demented leader.
By launching the missile at such short notice, Kim Jong-un appeared to show the country was capable of striking at any time.
It also casts into doubt the idea that the US would be able to hit a missile while it is still on the launchpad.
A more limited attack by air and sea would likely be a more preferable option for the US and its allies, crippling Pyongyang’s military capabilities.
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But, again, yesterday’s launch appears to show intelligence on the North’s capabilities is not flawless.
It would also leave Kim Jong-un in place, still pursuing his nuclear dream, unless the US were able to assassinate the despot and his inner circle.
Pyongyang’s action this week showed efforts to negotiate with him had failed.
However, Mr Trump said yesterday his strategy against the state had not changed despite its deadly actions.
He told reporters USA had a “very serious approach, but nothing changed”.
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The map shows where the missile was launched from and where it hit
That indicates the President could continue to pursue diplomatic solutions for the time being.
Most recently, the US has turned to the North’s major trading partner China in a bid to impose extra financial curbs on Pyongyang.
Washington said repeatedly all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said yesterday: “Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now.”
He added, alongside current UN sanctions, “the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic”.
The UN Security Council are discussing the launch, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned, at an emergency meeting today.
He said: ”This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community.”
The council was already scheduled to discuss progress in implementing recently adopted rounds of sanctions aimed at stifling Pyongyang’s military programmes.
North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missiles and nuclear programs.
The Security Council imposed stricter sanctions on the North on September 11, aimed at its supply of oil and gas for the first time following the rogue nation’s sixth and largest nuclear test earlier that month.
Since last November, it has issued further sanctions on exports of coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood.