Donald Trump’s latest tweet in response to Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s speech is “very disturbing”, said James Clapper, former Defence Intelligence Agency director.
In an interview with CNN, the retired US Air Force lieutenant said he is very worried Donald Trump’s impetuous behaviour will push North Korea to hit the “nuclear button”.
When asked about Trump’s latest tweet, he replied: “I think it’s very disturbing. In one sense it would almost be amusing if it weren’t for the gravity of the subject.
“There are potentially millions of lives at stake and an untold death and destruction here.
“To me it’s disturbing. The figure that Kim Jong-un used of a button on his desk, I take that not literally, but the problem is that by whatever means he calls out for his strategic forces to launch missiles he doesn’t have anybody who’s going to push back, unlike President Trump.
“Nobody knows and certainly no one in the White House knows what is Kim Jong-un ignition point.”
He added: “One of these tweets is going to set him off and he’s going to hit that button. All he has surrounding him are psycho-fans and yes-men who spend all their time beautifully writing down his every other instance in their notebook.
“People in the Pentagon, in the know, who are in the Government, have their concerns, and that’s very worrisome.”
Kim Jong-un threatened the US in his televised New Year’s speech.
The North Korean dictator said he has a “nuclear button” on his desk ready for use if North Korea is threatened.
President Donald Trump replied to Kim’s comment in a tweet saying: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
The tweet followed an earlier one in which the American President responded to Kim’s intention to open dialogue with South Korea after two years.
Trump wrote: “Sanctions and ‘other’ pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not – we will see!”