A Timeline Of The North Korean Nuclear Threat Since Donald Trump’s Inauguration
President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un have exchanged some pretty heated rhetoric as tensions mount due to North Korea accelerating their efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the United States — this is something Trump has vowed “won’t happen.”
April 19: The Inquisitr reported that state television in North Korea aired chilling footage of the United States being hit by a nuclear bomb in a World War 3 simulation video. The propaganda video aired during North Korea’s Day of the Sun festival.
Thousands sat hypnotized in a grand theater as massive ballistic missiles crashed into a U.S. city, yielding an ear-splitting blast as flames engulfed America. The perfectly orchestrated performance ended with the people of North Korea roaring in unison, overwhelmed with emotion, as a giant fiery mushroom cloud washed over the United States.
April 20: Two U.S. intelligence officials revealed to NBC News that North Korea is in a position to conduct a nuclear test with little or no warning.
April 23: North Korea threatened to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, “with a single strike,” according to Reuters.
April 30: President Trump gave North Korean leader Kim Jong Un what some would call a backhanded compliment, when he called him “a pretty smart cookie.”
In the same month, North Korea warned that a “big event” is near, according to NBC News.
While being interviewed on CBS News, Trump called Kim Jong Un a “pretty smart cookie” and noted that Kim came to power at the age of 27 and had to fight to hold on to that power.
“He’s dealing with obviously very tough people, in particular the generals and others. And at a very young age, he was able to assume power. A lot of people, I’m sure, tried to take that power away.”
May 1: U.S. President Donald Trump said he would meet with Kim Jong Un over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program if the circumstances were right, according to Bloomberg.
“If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it… If it’s under the, again, under the right circumstances. But I would do that.”
May 5: Pyongyang accused the CIA of plotting an assassination attempt on Kim Jong Un.
May 6: North Korea detained its fourth U.S. citizen. Kim Hak-song worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. The news of Hak-song’s detainment was reported by the North Korean state-run news agency, KCNA.
In the past, the United States has accused North Korea of detaining its citizens to use them as pawns.
May 10: North Korea has an “invincible army” and is waiting for an order to wage a “final sacred war” according to the official media outlet for the Central Committee of the Worker’s Party of Korea.
As per the Daily Mail, the article told its North Korean readers the country’s army was an “invincible army equipped with powerful strike means and ever-victorious tactics.” The newspaper claimed the attack would turn into a sea of fire and destroy the “bluffing U.S. imperialists,” the DPRK warned.
May 15: In an interview with Reuters news agency, Trump warns that a “major, major conflict” with North Korea is possible. He adds that the “era of strategic patience” with North Korea is over.
May 21: BBC reports North Korea has fired an “unidentified projectile,” according to South Korea’s military. Details of the launch were included in a statement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported the Yonhap News Agency. The area of launch, which is the location of a military airport, is north of the capital Pyongyang.
June 13: Otto Warmbier dies just days after being held in North Korea for 18 months. Pyongyang said that Otto was “a victim of the policy of strategic patience” under former U.S. president Barack Obama, whose administration never requested his return.
July 3: North Korea tested another missile by launching it towards Japan. Trump confirmed the news via Twitter and said it was “hard to believe that South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!”
July 26: Kim’s regime threatened the United States with a pre-emptive nuclear strike if Washington attempted to remove the country’s supreme leader, according to Yonhap News Agency.
“Should the U.S. dare to show even the slightest sign of attempt to remove our supreme leadership, we will strike a merciless blow at the heart of the U.S. with our powerful nuclear hammer, honed and hardened over time.”
August 6: The United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to impose new sanctions on North Korea. The rogue state threatened the U.S. for its “heinous crimes” (proposed sanctions) committed against the regime.
“We will make the U.S. pay by a thousand-fold for all the heinous crimes it commits against the state and people of this country.”
August 7: North Korea reacted to the U.N. sanctions by saying a “resolute action of justice” is on the way.
August 10: Donald Trump warned he would bring “fire and fury” upon North Korea.
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August 11: Trump warned North Korea the U.S. military was “locked and loaded.”
September 6: North Korea conducted its sixth-ever nuclear test, which set off an earthquake, and claimed the test was a hydrogen bomb. The nuclear blast yield of the test was concluded to be five to six times stronger than North Korea’s fifth test which was conducted in September of 2016.
September 12: North Korea warned the United States of “forthcoming measures” following the latest U.N. sanctions against the country.
September 14: North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan that South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said traveled about 2,300 miles, according to AP News.
September 19: Trump refers to Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man” when he warned that the North Korean leader “is on a suicide mission,” according to BBC.
I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2017
September 20: North Korea compared Trump’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly to the sound of a “barking dog.” In addition to this, after Trump vowed to “totally destroy North Korea.” Kim vowed to take “a corresponding, highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history.”
In a statement, the North Korean leader proceeded to call President Trump a “dotard.”
“Whatever Trump might have expected, he will face results beyond his expectation. I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.”
Trump then took to Twitter and called Kim a “madman” who has endangered the lives of the people in his country.
“Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before!”
November 3-14: Donald Trump is planning to take his first trip to Asia since his inauguration and will be accompanied by the first lady.
Trump will travel to five countries including South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In an official statement from the White House, Trump will address the North Korean nuclear threat.
“The president’s engagements will strengthen the international resolve to confront the North Korean threat and ensure the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
[Featured Image by Wong Maye-E/AP Images]
